Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured top spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 points table for the first time this season after their win on Sunday against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
Will RCB claim their first IPL title in the 18th season? Predict here and win big rewards
RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, restricting the hosts to 162/8 after 20 overs, thanks to a collective bowling effort.
During the chase, RCB lost 3 wickets in the powerplay, but Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya took the onus to stitch a 119-run stand between them, to steer the team to victory.
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Virat, however, only managed to score at a strike rate of 108.51 for his 51(47), raising questions over his approach.
However, former Delhi and India teammate, Virender Sehwag, backed Virat's approach and stated that nobody calculates chases better than the RCB star. See what he had to say.
READ MORE: Virat Kohli explains his playbook while chasing targets
What did Virender Sehwag say about Virat Kohli's chase in DC vs RCB match?
In a post-match discussion on Cricbuzz, the former India opener backed Kohli for his cautious knock on a tricky Delhi surface. Sehwag felt that it was more important to stay at the crease than go big early, and that Virat was right in judging that runs would eventually come after a partnership.
"He knows that he does not want to throw away his wicket and that if he stays at the crease, the runs will come. He even saw RCB conceding 50-60 in the last 5 overs. He knew the pacers would come in the death and it would be easier to score against them," said Sehwag.
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"Virat Kohli is called the chase master for a reason. Leave aside the topic of hitting fours and sixes. When the day comes, he will also be scoring fours and sixes. Today, it was important to stay till the end and stitch the partnership, which he did. Scored four fours and got the other runs by running.
The 46-year-old also credited Virat for how he managed to keep Krunal Pandya going at the other end with his experience, with constant chatter during the innings.
"He was also keeping Krunal in check to not risk it and only score when a loose delivery is on offer, which we could lip-read. It is special about him— nobody chases like Virat," he concluded.
MORE: IPL 2025: How Mumbai Indians climbed from 9th to 3rd on the points table in just 15 days
How has Virat Kohli performed in IPL 2025?
So far, after 10 innings played, Virat Kohli is the holder of the orange cap in IPL 2025 with 443 runs at an average of 63.28 while striking at over 138.87 and has got 6 fifties.
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Avg/SR | 50s/100s | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 443 | 63.28/138.87 | 6/0 | 73* |
How has RCB performed in IPL 2025?
RCB have moved up to the top of the table after seven wins in 10 matches, staying unbeaten on the road with six wins in six games. They are in a good position to finish top two in the league stages.
| Teams | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | +0.521 |
| Gujarat Titans | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +1.104 |
| Mumbai Indians | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +0.889 |
| Delhi Capitals | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +0.482 |
| Punjab Kings | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 | +0.177 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -0.325 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 9 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +0.212 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -1.103 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.625 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -1.302 |
(Table correct as of April 27, 2025)
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