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Following Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinching back-to-back Indian Premier League (IPL) titles, skipper Rajat Patidar praised RCB's batting icon Virat Kohli as an exceptional player and role model, saying his impact goes beyond batting.
Patidar highlighted how Kohli actively mentors teammates, sharing insights about cricket and professionalism. He added that he closely observes Kohli both on and off the field, with the biggest lesson being Kohli's unmatched intensity and energy in practice sessions, which he approaches with the same commitment as a match. "If I speak about Virat Kohli, I don't have words to explain him. He's used to doing great things. He's a great player. Everyone knows him. The way he bats. We all have the opportunity to learn from him. On the field, and off the field," Patidar told the reporters after the match. "We try to learn from him. Whatever he says. Regarding cricket or off the field. He's going to the players and talking a lot about cricket. I think that is superb. I always keep watching him and what he does. In the field, off the field. In the nets. One thing I have learned a lot from him is his energy on the net. It is similar to how he is playing the match," he added. RCB clinched IPL 2026 glory, riding on a stunning 75* off 42 by Virat Kohli, to beat Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad on Sunday. RCB gunned down a tricky 156 runs to join five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the elite list of clubs to have won back-to-back IPL titles. Kohli ended the tournament as the fourth-highest run-getter with 675 runs in 16 innings at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.84, with a century and five fifties and a best score of 105*. Coming to the match, put to bat first by RCB, GT scored just 155/8 in 20 overs, with Washington Sundar (50* in 37 balls, with five fours) and Nishant Sindhu (20 in 18 balls, with three fours) being the only ones to cross the 20-run mark. Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) took wickets regularly. RCB started well with a 62-run stand between Venkatesh Iyer (32 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Virat Kohli. GT showed some fight, reducing RCB to 132/5 at one point, but Kohli's (75* in 42 balls, with nine fours and three sixes) guided RCB to a win with two overs left. (ANI)
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