"Great opportunity for me to learn from one of the great players": RCB skipper hails Virat Kohli's unbeaten fifty in IPL 2025 opener

Royal Challengers Bengaluru kicked off the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a statement 7-wicket win against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at the Eden Gardens.

With this victory, Rajat Patidar began his RCB captaincy reign with the sweet taste of victory, while Ajinkya Rahane had to settle for defeat in his first game as KKR skipper.

"There was pressure, but it was a good day for me. If we keep winning like this, it will be a good day. It was pretty clear to me. I don't mind Suyash giving runs; he was our main wicket-taking bowler, so I backed him. All credit goes to both the bowlers, from 13 overs, they showed courage and determination. The mindset of taking wickets was really amazing. It's really great when you have a player like him; it's a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the great players in the game. That was a pre-determined shot; I was going over covers, the ball nipped back, and it went automatically," Rajat Patidar said in the post-match presentation.

The former RCB skipper Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 59 runs in 36 balls, laced with four boundaries and three maximums. With this knock, the opener completed the 1,000-run mark against the three-time champions. The other two batters to achieve this landmark are former Australia opener David Warner (1093) and former Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma (1070).

Earlier in the day before the IPL 2025 opener, Kohli was felicitated with an 'IPL 18' momento by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny during the opening ceremony.

Virat has been with RCB since the inception of the cash-rich league and captained the franchise from 2011 to 2023. He is the highest run-scorer in the tournament's history, with a whopping 8,004 runs in 252 matches, eight centuries and 55 half-centuries.

His dazzling run in the 2016 season, during which he garnered 973 runs with four centuries, stunning statistics have not been enough for the IPL's most accomplished batter to lift the trophy, highlighting the cruelty of team sport. Notably, the inaugural match of the IPL 2025 marks the 400th appearance in the T20 format.

Before the felicitation, Virat flexed his dance moves and grooved with Shah Rukh Khan on 'King Khan's chart-buster song 'Jhoome Jo Pathaan'.

Shah Rukh Khan, with his lively voice, invited the stalwart on the stage. "The King of 22 yards and a billion hearts. Let's hear the loudest for one and only, the GOAT, Virat Kohli." (ANI)