Virat Kohli special seals it for RCB against CSK

Just like the old times, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) turned to Virat Kohli. The skipper rose to the challenge in his inimitable style to inspire his team to a 37-run victory against the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League in Dubai on Saturday.

Batting first, RCB’s excellent recovery post a sedate start was courtesy the stroke-filled 76-run stand between Kohli (90 n.o., 52b, 4x4, 4x6) and Shivam Dube 22 n.o. (14b, 2x4, 1x6). The late flourish of 74 from the last five overs took them to 169/4.

The Super Kings’ chase unfolded in a manner that’s now has become agonisingly predictable for their followers. The three-time champions, puzzlingly again, left it too late only to suffer their fifth loss in seven games. In an innings that is sure to raise more questions about their chasing strategy, the fourth-wicket alliance of 64 runs between Ambati Rayudu (42) and N Jagadeesan (33) took them to 132/8. Against an off-colour line-up, the RCB bowlers just had to stick to basics and they did that with earnestness.

Extending the encouraging start to their campaign, RCB moved to fourth position on the table with eight points from six games.

Talks of Kohli not lighting up the 13th edition of the league had grown louder ahead of the clash between arch-rivals. Arriving in the middle on the back of just one half-century from five games, Kohli had to hold the crumbling innings together. It showed there was a calculation behind Kohli’s approach.

Even as Chennai bowlers tied down the Challengers with good bowling, Kohli showed intent to keep RCB in the hunt for a healthy total. He reached his 38th IPL fifty with a cracking pull off Shardul Thakur (2/40) in the 17th over that saw RCB collect 14 runs. And then, the 31-year-old unleashed the beast in him.

The next three overs were played completely on his terms as Kohli produced this much-needed aspect missing in the marquee clash till then: entertainment. While the gorgeous copybook strokes are part of the right-hander's repertoire, the jaw-dropping flick-of-the-wrist six and a surprise scoop for four would have even forced the CSK supporters to applaud.

The match-winning knock wasn’t bereft of his typical frenetic running between the wickets, an unmissable feature in all of Kohli’s gems. The genius in him offered a lesson on the art of conversion in the shortest format. If his responsible 53 took 39 balls, the next 37 came off just 13 deliveries.

Earlier, RCB batsmen had no option but to adopt a conservative approach as Chennai bowlers kept bowling good length spots. In their bid to accelerate from 65/1 after ten overs, RCB lost Devdutt Padikkal (33), AB de Villiers (0), and Washington Sundar (10) in quick succession.

Dube, however, hung around for a small yet crucial cameo. While he did that, the lanky southpaw witnessed his skipper work his magic, the way only he can.