Rabada strikes back after Kohli’s early burst
Royal Challengers Bengaluru began at pace but lost Virat Kohli early after a brief assault on Kagiso Rabada. Kohli raced to 28 off 13 balls, hitting five fours and a six. In that burst, he struck five consecutive boundaries in one over, becoming only the third batter to do so in the IPL after Chris Gayle and Shane Watson.
Rabada adjusted his lengths quickly. He went shorter and used the extra bounce. Kohli advanced again but was cramped for room, mistiming a pull that was taken safely. The wicket ended the early surge and gave Gujarat a way back after a costly start.
Toss call and early match context
Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, chose to bowl first, expecting help early and dew later. The decision looked risky after two overs, but Rabada’s response kept them in the game.
For Bengaluru, the platform was set but not fully used. Jacob Bethell stayed steady while Kohli attacked. Kohli, currently fourth in the Orange Cap race after Vaibhav, showed clear intent before falling. The pitch offered bounce, and hard lengths remained effective. Gujarat will look to build on that, while Bengaluru need to reset through the middle overs.
RCB – 71-2 (7) – Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal are playing