"Virat Kohli rated Devdutt Padikkal higher than Priyansh Arya"- RCB hits back
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RCB director of cricket, MO Bobat, has once again opened up on Virat Kohli's supremacy in the Challengers setup, as it was due to Kohli rating him highly that Devdutt Padikkal, the Karnataka batter, was later picked by RCB in the mega-auction.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore won their first-ever IPL title, and the credit falls to every player who played for the Red Devils in the IPL. Anchored by veteran Virat Kohli, the likes of several young cricketers have played a class-apart role in securing the IPL title for skipper Rajat Patidar.
RCB were heavily criticized for not having picked a strong side, just like they have been doing for years. They let go of many of their former players and also did not bid on several big names that were all part of the mega-auction, but instead insisted that they had a specific plan and would only bid for the players they aimed to acquire.
MO Bobat highlights the importance of Virat Kohli's words in the RCB lineup
RCB Director MO Bobat once again made a massive statement on the inclusion of another player, who was backed by the franchise veteran Virat Kohli. Bobat has been vocal on Kohli's extensive role behind managerial decisions within the RCB.
He said that the inclusion of Devdutt Padikkal was in the plans after they had missed out on the KKR bid for Venkatesh Iyer, who was roped in for an extensive amount of money. RCB also missed Priyansh Arya, another left-hander who was considered by the RCBians.
Mo Bobat answered on being asked about Devdutt Padikkal's late inclusion: “After missing out on Venky, he was definitely in our plan alongside Priyansh Arya. We wanted a Lefty batter at number 3."
"Virat rates him highly and certainly had him as a player we should consider," MO Bobat added.
MO Bobat earlier opened up on Kohli's extensive support for new captain Rajat Patidar
Just a day before, MO Bobat, in an exclusive interview with Cricbuzz, had opened up on Virat Kohli; the most veteran cricketer in the RCB camp had extensively backed Rajat Patidar and assured the management of him keeping the new captain back during crucial moments on the field.
Bobat also revealed that Rajat Patidar's inclusion as the next RCB captain was in the plans since 2024, as this was the reason he was retained by the Royal Challengers, and he also claimed that they had nudged and observed him throughout the Indian domestic season as well as in the SMAT.
Mayank Agarwal replaced Padikkal during the end phase of IPL 2025
After the left-handed batter made a weak start to his campaign, Padikkal was backed and later found a fine touch with some good innings towards the back end of the tournament before he was ruled out due to an injury.
Karnataka teammate and former RCB player Mayank Agarwal, who went unsold in the IPL auction, was included as his replacement at no. 3, and he played till the finals with RCB.
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