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Former cricketer head coach Sanjay Bangar outlined the invaluable "risk-free" cricket played by the franchise stalwart Virat Kohli during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first home win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Rajasthan Royals.
While pursuing their first home victory, Bengaluru were put to bat on a tricky surface at their home den. The pitch posed complicated challenges, considering the variance in bounce and pace. Virat played the anchor's role to clear RCB's pathway to a target of 200-plus. Virat understood the challenge ahead of him and embraced it with open arms. With his flamboyance, Virat raised a 95-run stand for the second wicket with Devdutt Padikkal to set up a grand finish for the first innings. Padikkal's swift fifty and Virat's belligerent 70(42), RCB blazed its way to a daunting 205/5, a formidable score for Rajasthan to chase down, even though the conditions became more favourable for the batters in the second innings. After managing a couple of narrow escapes, Virat relied on his heavily loaded arsenal to keep the scoreboard ticking. He chopped the ball for four using his back foot, picked up the short-length delivery early and pulled it away for a boundary, and continued his love affair with the flick shot. The former Bengaluru head coach, who worked closely with Virat during his tenure, quickly identified the "typical" Virat knock, characterised by risk-free cricket, and set the game up for the hosts. "This was typical Virat Kohli. After a couple of low scores, he returned to his default style--risk-free cricket, constructing the innings patiently. Once the game was set up, he opened up with attacking shots. The key was how he handled the first 7-8 overs, giving assurance not just to his partner, but also to the dugout. The way he paced the innings helped RCB post a slightly above-par total," Bangar said on JioHotstar. After Virat's stellar show, it was time for Josh Hazlewood to deliver his blockbuster hit with a sizzling four-wicket haul. He drew blood in the powerplay and then broke the backbone of Rajasthan's heist in the penultimate over when Rajasthan needed 18 from the last 12 deliveries. He returned with figures of 4/33 in four overs to claim the Player of the Match award after Benglauru cruised to an 11-run triumph. With an all-round stellar show, Bengaluru climbed to the third spot with 12 points while Rajasthan licked its wounds and rued its fifth defeat on the trot. (ANI)
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