RCB's Collective Effout Shines in IPL 2026 Opener, Says Captain Patidar

At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB chased down SRH's 201 with 26 balls to spare, beginning their title defence in emphatic fashion. "The way boys played and everybody chipped in was a positive sign. First of all, it was the season opener for us, and the way everybody chipped in and did it for the team, I think that was a very positive sign for us.

"The way Duffy played his first match and the way he bowled, I think that was really impressive. The way he took the wickets of Head and Abhishek, I think that was the turning point for us," said Patidar at the conclusion of the game.

Asked about RCB's aggressive batting approach in the chase, thanks to fifties from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal, Patidar said, "Not a policy, but we were assessing the wicket. The wicket was good to bat on. The way Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal played their innings, I think that laid a solid base for the other batsmen.

"So we'll just keep continuing to do that. I think there are no words for him (Kohli). Every time he goes in, especially when the team is chasing, he delivers as the number one batter. The way he played and stayed till the end was outstanding.

Asked about his reaction to Phil Salt taking one-handed catch to dismiss Ishan Kishan, Patidar stated, "It was a terrific catch by Phil Salt. Even I was surprised! But as you know, he's a very good fielder. I've seen him take many catches in the air, so that was a brilliant effort."

Duffy, who starred with the ball via figures of 3-22, was named Player of the Match on his IPL debut. "It was awesome. I've heard a lot of great things about Bangalore and RCB, and this was a hell of a way to start the campaign. I thought it was a pretty well-rounded team performance. I just tried to keep things fairly simple.

"The plan was to use the new ball, especially since it does a bit here in Bangalore. It can get tricky later on. I was lucky to pick up a few wickets early and then the skipper just kept giving me the ball. As a bonus, I got to walk off after finishing my spell, a good day overall."

Asked about his bowling plans, Duffy said, "We spoke a lot about lengths and what works on this surface. Josh had a really good season here last year, so it was about building on what he did well and trying to replicate that in my own way."

Speaking about his learnings from the T20 World Cup, Duffy said, "I guess I had a basic template coming into that tournament. There were a couple of tough moments, definitely a few long showers thinking things through! But this is a different kind of wicket. I haven't seen this kind of bounce in the last couple of months. It's not the easiest place for bowlers, so I'm just learning on the go.

"No, that was the captain's call (on bowling his fourth over). He just told me to go, and I was more than happy to take it on. Like I said, when the ball is new and hard here, that's probably the best time to bowl. I was fortunate to bowl in those phases and the other guys handled the tougher overs later."

Kishan reflected on SRH's batting effort, adding that losing early wickets hurt them a lot, with five of their batters dismissed while playing the pull shot. "I think definitely the wicket played well after the first 3-4 overs.

"We lost a few early wickets, and we have to take care of that maybe next time because, looking at the wicket in the second innings, it was pretty much easier to bat on and the ball was coming on quite well. So we'll have to be a little smart with the shot selection next time. But, we did well after losing track, which gives a lot of confidence to us."

He also credited Kohli for keeping SRH's bowlers at bay in the chase. "Especially you have to give some credit to the batters as well, the way they batted, especially Virat bhai while chasing. It's very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he keeps on going, it's hard to stop him."

While enjoying his IPL captaincy debut by hitting 80, Kishan also said the side will try to get better with bowling plans. "We'll have to work a little hard. It's the first game and these mistakes are acceptable for now. We'll be a little more cautious with the bowling, areas where we need to execute, and we might be stronger from the next game.

"I actually enjoyed it a lot, enjoyed every moment of it. It's IPL, so sometimes nerves are there. But we'll get better with this as a team. What else can I say about the captaincy? If we win the games coming ahead, it will be much easier for us going ahead in the tournament."

- IANS