Virat Kohli scored a 34-ball 49 in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s win over Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL match on Wednesday. However, the star India batter said he was satisfied with his intensity despite not being fully fit.
RCB chased down LSG’s target of 146 in 15.1 overs to register a five-wicket win and go top of the points table.
“Much better than the last game. I’m still not 100%. My knee was a bit sore last game. Even health-wise, I’ve been under the weather for four or five days now. So, just getting back up to my best,” Kohli said after the match.
The former India captain was spotted practicing with his left knee heavily strapped before the match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Despite that, Kohli looked in great touch, smashing six boundaries and a six. He has now scored 228 runs in the tournament, averaging 57 and is currently the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2026.
“I started off well today, so I was happy with my intensity. Again, would have liked to carry on and finish the game off. Sometimes you have to take the conditions into account as well.
“The pitch slowed down considerably and I just wanted to probably keep going in the same manner. But, yeah, in the end, should have probably finished that one off as well,” he added.
Kohli lauded RCB skipper Rajat Patidar’s clarity at the crease, who scored a 13-ball 27 on Wednesday.
“We have our KPIs as a batting unit and it says Rajat to go in and assess the situation. I always tell him, you’re probably looking to assess the bowler’s heart rate rather than the situation… I mean, incredible clarity,” Kohli said.
“The way our management has stacked up the team allows us to play in a certain way. I have to adapt my role accordingly. It allows me to play a certain way up front with Salty (Phil Salt), so we pass on the baton nicely.
“The freedom of having Romario (Shepherd) and Tim (David)… KP (Krunal Pandya) hasn’t even batted yet. We’re sitting on a batting unit that’s explosive and getting the job done. It looks intimidating if you have Romario and Tim walking in even after five down. These guys can get you 50 runs in four overs and that gives all of us a lot of freedom.”
Reflecting on the changing demands of T20 cricket, Kohli said adaptability will be crucial as the tournament moves to the business end.
“Well, it depends on the situation and the condition as well for me. Not all games are going to be 230, 240…the demands of the modern game are pretty different, but you always have to keep an eye out on the situation and when people play under pressure,” he said.
“We’re still in the first half of the tournament. Second half onwards, the games are going to get tighter and people are going to be under pressure a lot more than now. When the freedom goes away, the pressure kicks in, that’s when the smarts of the game have to be applied.
“Whoever can apply and adapt and play according to the conditions and the situation will be the teams that will go a long way. The game has certainly changed. I’m trying my best. I’ve done okay so far in adapting and I’m always looking to push the bar.”
