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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar lauded his bowlers after a strong performance against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), saying winning the toss helped set the tone as the pacers consistently hit the deck.
He praised the unpredictability and courage of Krunal Pandya, while also highlighting Suyash Sharma for his disciplined stump-to-stump bowling, which he described as impressive to watch. Kohli's fluent knock, complemented by handy cameos from Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma, guided RCB to a commanding five-wicket win over LSG in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday night in Bengaluru, propelling them to the top of the points table with a dominant performance. "It was fantastic (bowling). I think the good thing was that we won the toss. And the way the fast bowlers hit the deck was nice to watch. I don't know what he's (Krunal Pandya) going to bowl next, but I would say he's a very courageous bowler. And at the same time, Suyesh's stump-to-stump bowling was tremendous to watch," Patidar said after the match. Patidar also praised the impact of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood as a new-ball pair, saying their experience makes a captain's job easier and benefits the entire bowling unit. He also credited the team's improved fielding standards, highlighting a sharp catch by Phil Salt and noting the squad's consistent work on fielding intensity since the start of the season. On title ambitions, Patidar remained cautious, stressing that it is still early in the tournament and the team is focused on taking things one game at a time. "(On the new-ball pair of Bhuvneshwar and Josh Hazlewood) Of course, for a captain, if you have specialist bowlers in T20 leagues, it makes the job easier because you don't have to tell them what to do next. The experience and ideas are helping all the other bowlers as well. (On RCB's fielding) The team has been working on fielding intensity since the start of the IPL. That was followed by Phil Salt, and he usually takes those one-handed and flying catches. It was a great catch for him. No, it's a long way to go (on the title hopes). Right now, we are just looking one game at a time," he concluded. Rasikh Salam Dar, along with a majestic bowling masterclass from Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood, led a clinical bowling performance as LSG were bundled out for a modest 146 against the defending champions, RCB. In reply, Kohli anchored the chase with a fluent 49, while skipper Rajat Patidar (27) and Jitesh Sharma (23) chipped in with brisk contributions, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a comfortable chase as they reached 149/5 in just 15.1 overs. (ANI)
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