Devdutt Padikkal Praises Kohli's Influence After Stellar IPL Performance

Padikkal's Best IPL Performance Yet

Devdutt Padikkal, a prominent player for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), described his recent innings against Gujarat Titans (GT) as his finest in the ongoing IPL 2026 season. He expressed admiration for Virat Kohli's unparalleled intensity and impact on the team.

During the post-match press conference following RCB's convincing victory over GT, Padikkal emphasized a standout feature of his performance—his ability to hit sixes. "The most significant aspect for me was the number of sixes I managed to hit... I scored six sixes, which is quite unusual for me," he remarked. He added, "Being able to achieve that was truly special."

He further characterized this innings as his best effort in the tournament to date, stating, "This was probably my best innings so far in the IPL."

Kohli's Unmatched Influence on the Team

Padikkal also reflected on the influence of playing alongside Virat Kohli, highlighting the senior player's relentless dedication and enthusiasm despite his numerous accomplishments. "The most significant thing for me is his energy and intensity... in every game and every practice session," Padikkal noted, emphasizing Kohli's unwavering commitment. "Even after achieving so much, he still gives his all in every practice and match," he added, calling such dedication exceptional at the elite level.

He mentioned that Kohli's passion and drive positively affect the entire team. "When you witness someone so motivated, it truly inspires everyone in the squad," he said, noting that Kohli's energy is uplifting the whole team.

RCB's Thrilling Chase to Victory

In pursuit of 206 runs, RCB faced an early challenge when GT's pacer Mohammed Siraj dismissed opener Jacob Bethell, leaving RCB at 26/1 within three overs. However, the remaining top-order batsmen stepped up. Virat Kohli, with a score of 81 off 44 balls, set a solid foundation with a classic half-century, while Devdutt Padikkal contributed significantly with 55 runs off 27 balls. Together, they formed a formidable partnership, accumulating 115 runs in just 59 balls.

After the quick dismissals of Kohli and Padikkal, the match became tense as Rashid Khan and Manav Suthar took crucial wickets, leaving RCB at 175/5 after 16 overs. RCB faced further setbacks with the losses of Rajat Patidar (8) and Jitesh Sharma (10).

Krunal Pandya's Heroics Seal the Win

With 31 runs required from the last four overs, the pressure mounted, but Krunal Pandya (23 not out off 12 balls) emerged as the match-winner for RCB. He aggressively attacked the GT bowlers, scoring 15 runs in the 18th over, which significantly eased the chase. Tim David also played a role, contributing an unbeaten 10 runs off nine balls.

In the 19th over, Krunal clinched the victory by pulling a short delivery from Jason Holder to the deep square leg area for a single, allowing RCB to finish at 206/5 in 18.5 overs. This win secured two crucial points, propelling RCB to the second position in the IPL 2026 points table.

Currently, RCB holds 10 points from seven matches, with five victories and two defeats.