Virat bhai’s only instruction was to keep the run-rate up, reveals Padikkal after RCB’s record blitz

Bengaluru, 22 March 2026: Devdutt Padikkal has revealed that the only message Virat Kohli gave him during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s chase on Saturday night was blunt and brief: “Keep the run-rate up and put pressure on the bowlers.” The 25-year-old left-hander obeyed to perfection, walloping 61 off 26 balls in a partnership of 101 from 45 deliveries with Kohli, who finished unbeaten on 69 from 38 as the defending champions hunted down 202 with 26 balls to spare—the fastest successful 200-plus chase in IPL history.

Speaking on Star Sports’ Amul Cricket Live after the 15.4-over romp at a raucous M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Padikkal said Kohli’s calming presence freed him to play an attacking role once Phil Salt had fallen early. “His presence took the pressure off me and let me play freely. We knew SRH’s bowling is not very strong, so we believed we could chase down the target in a smooth manner,” Padikkal explained. “My job was to take risks while he anchored the chase.”

The innings continued a striking reinvention for the Karnataka opener, who credits head coach Andy Flower and batting coach Dinesh Karthik for driving the transformation. “They really worked hard on me. It wasn’t easy because there was a lot I needed to change. It wasn’t just technical; it was a lot mentally as well. I needed to really believe that I can play this aggressive brand of cricket,” Padikkal said, adding that the evolution of T20 cricket since his 2020 debut demanded a shift in mindset.

Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad had recovered from a wobble at 3 for 3 inside the powerplay to reach 201 for 9, largely through Ishan Kishan’s 38-ball 80 and Aniket Verma’s 18-ball 43. Jacob Duffy and Romario Shepherd claimed three wickets apiece for Bengaluru, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh and Suyash Sharma picked up one each.

Kohli’s measured anchor act and Padikkal’s fireworks ensured the target never looked daunting. Rajat Patidar provided the late flourish, clattering 31 off 12 balls as RCB sealed a four-wicket win to launch their title defence in emphatic style.

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