"Virat Kohli loves to finish the game but"- Ambati Rayudu's scintillating take

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) showcased their aggressive and dominant intent in the IPL 2025 opener, comfortably chasing down Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) total of 174 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. With Virat Kohli and Phil Salt leading the charge, RCB made the run chase look effortless against KKR, setting the tone for their IPL 2025 campaign.

After the season opener, the former Indian pacer Varun Aaron has pointed out how Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s aggressive start reflected their fearless approach. Aaron also highlighted how RCB’s attacking mindset put KKR on the back foot early in the innings.

Varun Aaron praises RCB’s aggressive approach against KKR in the IPL 2025 opener

RCB got off to a blistering start, scoring 37 runs in just three overs. Phil Salt and Virat Kohli took on the KKR bowler early in the innings. But the turning point came in the fourth over when KKR introduced Varun Chakravarthy earlier than expected at the Eden Gardens.

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Salt made a mockery of KKR’s plans, smashing 2, 4, 6, 4, and 4 in that over against Chakravarthy to put RCB in complete control. At one stage, Kohli had also scored 29 runs in just 13 balls.

Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 TimeOut show: “This is completely walking the talk, the way Salt and Virat started, and the way Virat ended, [it] was setting a precedent and saying, 'You know what, this is the kind of cricket we're going to play; if you can score more than us, all the best.'”

Virat Kohli's leadership in his own role is going to be important for RCB: Varun Aaron

The cricket pundit has emphasized that Kohli’s role in chases has always been crucial for both India and RCB, as he consistently delivers when his team needs him the most. He emphasized that Virat Kohli’s leadership in his own role and ability to deliver under pressure set him apart from others.

Aaron further said of Kohli, “Everyone sings his praise for a reason: he gets these runs, especially when the team needs it, in a chase. There are a lot of batsmen who get a lot of first-innings centuries and first-innings runs, but he always manages to get those important runs in a chase. And that is priceless to any team, to the Indian team, to RCB, and leadership in his own role is going to be important for RCB.”

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Ambati Rayudu praises Virat Kohli’s leadership and aggressive mindset in RCB’s IPL 2025 opener against KKR

Meanwhile, the former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu highlighted Kohli's intent to stay unbeaten while attacking, setting the tone for RCB in the IPL 2025 opener against KKR. He believes that Virat Kohli's approach will inspire the entire lineup and strengthen his leadership in the team.

The dashing right-hander played a stunning knock of unbeaten 59 runs off 36 balls, laced with four boundaries and three sixes against KKR, and now he would love to continue his sublime form in the ongoing IPL 2025, where RCB will next face CSK on March 28 in Chennai.

Ambati Rayudu said on the same show on ESPNcricinfo: “Virat Kohli, generally, loves to finish the game, stay not out. But here, he stayed not out with the intent. He continued batting with that intent. That shows that if Kohli is ready to do that, the other eight [batters] will do that for RCB. And that's a great, great sight. That shows his leadership in the batting department.”