‘Virat Kohli walks the talk, must bat full 20 overs’:Ravichandran Ashwin in awe of RCB legend after match-winning knock against SRH

Virat Kohli’s extraordinary performance guided the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match of IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28. His unbeaten 69 off 38 balls earned praise from former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who admired Kohli’s match-winning knock. Chasing a target of 202, RCB got strong contributions from Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 61 and Rajat Patidar, who added a quick 31. Earlier, SRH had posted 201/9 on the board, with Ishan Kishan anchoring the innings and Aniket Verma providing a late boost with a quick cameo. Jacob Duffy impressed with the ball for RCB, picking up three wickets in the powerplay to put early pressure on SRH. During the chase, Padikkal made a huge impact as an ‘Impact Player’, easing the pressure after an early wicket. Patidar’s 31-run cameo further pushed RCB closer to the target before Kohli finished the game in his trademark style. With 26 balls to spare, RCB comfortably sealed the victory to start their campaign on a high. Also read: Virat Kohli’s flying kiss towards Anushka Sharma: Ishan Kishan records 3,000 IPL runs; Klaasen unhappy with controversial catch ‘He walks the talk, find him bizarre at this age’ – R Ashwin After RCB demolished SRH by 6 wickets in Bengaluru, former India Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin applauded Virat Kohli’s masterclass against Hyderabad. He said, “I find him quite bizarre at this age. I tell him this during our chats now and then. He was batting on 40-odd, there was a partnership going on, and RCB were coasting. He ran through for the first single, stopped there, and the other batter hadn’t even reached halfway, but he was already looking for a second. That was a 57-metre boundary on the leg side, and it shows the enthusiasm he still brings to the game.” “He walks the talk. It’s almost like he’s putting on a show for people to see how the game should be played, play it hard and play it the way it’s meant to be played. That stood out for me with respect to what Virat did. And if this is the way RCB are going to bat, Virat just needs to bat the full 20 overs,” he concluded further. Also read: Mumbai Indians set for Kolkata Knight Riders showdown: Focus on Rohit Sharma’s form; MI won 24 matches against KKR ‘Virat Kohli is at his peak’ – Rajat Patidar praises former RCB skipper As R Ashwin appluaded Kohli’s masterclass against SRH, RCB captain Rajat Patidar also praised India legend after his 69-run knock. He said, “Virat Kohli is our number one chase master, as we all know. I always enjoy watching his batting from the dugout, the way he plays, the shots he picks, and how he reads situations. It’s always really good to see.” “I also feel like he’s at his peak right now. I don’t have enough words to describe him. He’s my idol, and from what I’ve seen in the nets, the energy and eagerness to perform and dominate are still the same. It’s beautiful to watch, and I’m learning a lot just by observing him in the nets,” he concluded.”