Kohli-Padikkal ace another chase; RCB leave Chinnaswamy with another win

Sai Sudharsan's maiden century of the season went in vain as RCB cruised to a 5-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in their chase of 206 and moved to second spot on the IPL 2026 points table. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal stroked majestic half-centuries en route to their 117-run stand for the second wicket as RCB, barring a brief period of stutter, looked in total control of the run-chase, which was completed with seven balls to spare.

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Gujarat Titans 205/3 in 20 overs [Sai Sudharsan 100 (58), Jason Holder 23 (10); Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1-31] lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 206/5 in 18.5 overs [Virat Kohli 81 (44), Devdutt Padikkal 55 (27); Rashid Khan 2-49, Manav Suthar 1-19] by 5 wickets.

On a track that was sticky and two-paced to begin with, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan ensured that the scoring rate was not impacted, even though it was the latter who hogged most of the strike - facing 29 of the 36 deliveries. After a couple of quiet overs, he cut loose against the hard lengths that the RCB pacers operated in. They added 57 runs in the Powerplay, and kept the charge going throughout the partnership.

While Gill, who largely spent time at the non-striker's end, mostly rotated the strike around, Sudharsan was quick to pounce on any width on offer. The duo added 130 runs before Gill was dismissed in the 13th over while looking for a big hit.

For a good while, they did, with Jos Buttler taking on Suyash Sharma in the 15th over. Sudharsan brought up his century as well in that over with a single, but departed in the next over, mistiming a pull off Josh Hazlewood. Nonetheless, cameos by Buttler and Washington Sundar had placed them for a strong surge in the death overs, where RCB bowlers clawed their way back.

In the first three death overs, they ended up conceding only 17 runs, seizing the momentum back from GT's innings. With Rasikh Salam being taken off the field due to cramps, Krunal Pandya had to bowl the final over and Jason Holder duly took him apart, pulling his slingy bouncer as well as a tossed up delivery for sixes, in the last over for 20 runs to take the team over the 200-run mark.

The defending champions could have well found themselves in all sorts of trouble early on. Apart from Jacob Bethell's innings getting cut short of a 10-ball 14, Kohli was dropped on zero. The veteran opener made good use of that opportunity and took control of the powerplay, asserting himself against the Gujarat Titans pacers. In the company of Padikkal, he ensured that RCB put on 58 runs in the Powerplay.

Remember the imperious version of Virat Kohli?

That was on display for your Friday night entertainment.

The RCB opener was at his fluent best after being dropped, driving and whipping the balls with ease, disdain and command against Kagiso Rabada. He used his footwork to good effect against Rashid, and was willing to take on the short balls when Prasidh Krishna tested him, making room and using the empty spaces on the offside. His innings was eventually cut short on 81, when he inside-edged a rising delivery from Jason Holder on to his stumps.

The southpaw continued the good form that he has been carrying over the last year. He got his innings going by whipping Kagiso Rabada for a six over deep backward square, and then took on all the bowlers that followed. Prasidh Krishna's bounce and pace was pulled for boundaries, while Rashid Khan too bore the brunt of his attacking chops, getting hit inside out for a six over deep extra cover. On what looked like an easy paced wicket during the chase, he brought out a wide range of strokes and cruised to a 20-ball half-century. His stay came to an end after he was undone by a Rashid googly and stumped in the 13th over. Nonetheless, the 117-run stand with Kohli set the stage for RCB's victory.

Rajat Patidar got going with a six off Rashid Khan, and for a while it seemed like the chase would be a cruise. However, following the dismissals of Kohli and Padikkal, the GT spinners piled on the pressure. Jitesh Sharma mistimed a cut to point and Patidar got an edge while looking to hit Manav Suthar against the turn. The pressure would've only mounted had an edge from Tim David's bat now flown over the fielder at third.

However, Krunal Pandya countered GT's field placements with good effect, with a quickfire 23.

While Gujarat Titans will be back in action soon, with a trip to Chennai for an afternoon game on Sunday (April 26), RCB will travel to Delhi to face Delhi Capitals on Monday (April 27).