<p>On a day in which the Rajasthan Royals received news of Ben Stokes’s arrival in the UAE for the Indian Premier League, their desperation for the England all-rounder brimmed.</p>.<p>Unfortunately, they will have to wait a week or so for the availability of a post-quarantine Stokes. As for Saturday afternoon, Steven Smith and Co. were made to look mostly amateur by a Royal Challengers Bangalore unit which played to its potential, finally.</p>.<p>Yuzvendra Chahal put his unusually expensive performance in the game against Mumbai Indians behind and led the way with the ball, scalping three for 24 in a spell which was requisite in restricting Royals to 154 for 6 in 20 overs on a surface that didn't have too many demons in it. </p>.<p>The response could have gone either way, but it didn’t as RCB reached 158<strong> </strong>for 2 with five balls to spare. In due course, Devdutt Padikkal continued to hog the limelight with strokes oh-so-beautiful and Virat Kohli returned to form in a way only he can.</p>.<p>Paddikal (63 from 45 balls) carved his third half-century in four games, and Kohli sluiced the rust with a gradually-accelerated 72 not out from 53 balls, including a couple of gorgeous sixes.</p>.<p>The resultant eight-wicket win propped Kohli’s men to the top of the table - even if only until there’s a result from the Delhi Capitals-Kolkata Knight Riders game later on - with six points from four games.</p>.<p>While early signs have exceeded expectations, RCB will be most proud that they executed plans without wrinkles against the Royals. Often, the Bengaluru-outfit has been guilty of veering acutely from an original plan at the first sign of discomfort. Pushed to play an opponents tempo, they lose the plot, eventually - and more often than not - the game. It wasn’t so against the Royals.</p>.<p>Barring an early eye-candy knock from Jos Buttler (22), Royals offered nothing to write home until Mahipal Lomror (47) and Rahul Tewatia (24 not out) offered something for the broadcasters to highlight.</p>.<p>In between the heavy hitters, RCB earned plaudits for their bowling and their fielding prowess. While rare, and a tad off-kilter towards the final stages, it wasn’t undeserved.</p>.<p>Isuru Udana got Smith to chop-on in the third over, Navdeep Saini opened with a maiden and the wicket of Buttler and Chahal dismissed an in-form Sanju Samson off the first delivery of his spell.</p>.<p>The Royals were stranded at 33 for 3 after five overs without much experience to rely on and the one seasoned bat available - Robin Uthappa - rarely middling the ball.</p>.<p>Chahal put an end to Uthappa’s misery before giving Lomror a delicate send-off after being hit for a couple of sixes by the southpaw. </p>.<p>Tewatia eventually bolstered the total with three clean sixes, but not before being struck on the chest by a 140 kmph beamer from Saini. </p>.<p>In the end, though, it didn't matter. Bowlers still did a fantastic job, RCB closed out a chase with confidence and they improved their net run rate. Most importantly, Kohli looked majestic.</p>.<p>The entourage must be elated. </p>
<p>On a day in which the Rajasthan Royals received news of Ben Stokes’s arrival in the UAE for the Indian Premier League, their desperation for the England all-rounder brimmed.</p>.<p>Unfortunately, they will have to wait a week or so for the availability of a post-quarantine Stokes. As for Saturday afternoon, Steven Smith and Co. were made to look mostly amateur by a Royal Challengers Bangalore unit which played to its potential, finally.</p>.<p>Yuzvendra Chahal put his unusually expensive performance in the game against Mumbai Indians behind and led the way with the ball, scalping three for 24 in a spell which was requisite in restricting Royals to 154 for 6 in 20 overs on a surface that didn't have too many demons in it. </p>.<p>The response could have gone either way, but it didn’t as RCB reached 158<strong> </strong>for 2 with five balls to spare. In due course, Devdutt Padikkal continued to hog the limelight with strokes oh-so-beautiful and Virat Kohli returned to form in a way only he can.</p>.<p>Paddikal (63 from 45 balls) carved his third half-century in four games, and Kohli sluiced the rust with a gradually-accelerated 72 not out from 53 balls, including a couple of gorgeous sixes.</p>.<p>The resultant eight-wicket win propped Kohli’s men to the top of the table - even if only until there’s a result from the Delhi Capitals-Kolkata Knight Riders game later on - with six points from four games.</p>.<p>While early signs have exceeded expectations, RCB will be most proud that they executed plans without wrinkles against the Royals. Often, the Bengaluru-outfit has been guilty of veering acutely from an original plan at the first sign of discomfort. Pushed to play an opponents tempo, they lose the plot, eventually - and more often than not - the game. It wasn’t so against the Royals.</p>.<p>Barring an early eye-candy knock from Jos Buttler (22), Royals offered nothing to write home until Mahipal Lomror (47) and Rahul Tewatia (24 not out) offered something for the broadcasters to highlight.</p>.<p>In between the heavy hitters, RCB earned plaudits for their bowling and their fielding prowess. While rare, and a tad off-kilter towards the final stages, it wasn’t undeserved.</p>.<p>Isuru Udana got Smith to chop-on in the third over, Navdeep Saini opened with a maiden and the wicket of Buttler and Chahal dismissed an in-form Sanju Samson off the first delivery of his spell.</p>.<p>The Royals were stranded at 33 for 3 after five overs without much experience to rely on and the one seasoned bat available - Robin Uthappa - rarely middling the ball.</p>.<p>Chahal put an end to Uthappa’s misery before giving Lomror a delicate send-off after being hit for a couple of sixes by the southpaw. </p>.<p>Tewatia eventually bolstered the total with three clean sixes, but not before being struck on the chest by a 140 kmph beamer from Saini. </p>.<p>In the end, though, it didn't matter. Bowlers still did a fantastic job, RCB closed out a chase with confidence and they improved their net run rate. Most importantly, Kohli looked majestic.</p>.<p>The entourage must be elated. </p>
