Rajat Patidar provided an injury update on Virat Kohli after the Royal Challengers Bangalore batter chose not to field in the second innings of their win against the Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 12. Kohli had an uneven day with the bat despite scoring his second fifty of the season.
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Praised for reinventing himself with a new approach this season, Kohli struggled to maintain his usual rhythm, scoring 50 runs off 38 balls. This was a marked drop from his previous three innings, where his strike rate exceeded 150, but it fell to 131.58 against the Mumbai Indians.
Kohli expressed visible frustration after his dismissal, throwing his helmet and gloves away in anger. An ankle issue prevented him from taking the field as RCB secured an 18-run victory. At the post-match presentation, Patidar said the extent of Kohli’s injury was unclear but insisted the decision to keep him off the field was a precaution.
“I don’t know yet but I think that he’s OK,” Patidar said.
Despite Kohli’s subdued batting, fifties from Phil Salt and Patidar helped RCB post a formidable total of 240 runs, which Mumbai Indians failed to chase.
Patidar credited Salt and Kohli for laying a solid foundation that allowed the rest of the batting lineup, including himself, to play aggressively.
“It’s more clarity on things in terms of the batting approach. The way Virat bhai and Salt started, they kept us on the driving seat. Then a good cameo by me and team, I think it was a pure team effort,” he said.
The charged atmosphere at Wankhede felt like a home ground advantage for RCB, with chants supporting the team throughout the match. Patidar acknowledged the fans’ role in creating that environment.
“It feels amazing coming here at the Wankhede Stadium and feeling the atmosphere, the fans. Playing in the full packed stadium is a different feeling,” he added.
RCB will return to Bengaluru to face Lucknow Super Giants on April 15 at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
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