Kohli hails Patidar nerve as RCB close on first crown
sportsdesk@hindustantimes.com KOLKATA: Virat Kohli praised the “very, very special” performance of unlikely hero Rajat Patidar after his match-winning ton put Royal Challengers Bangalore two victories away from their first IPL title. Patidar hit an unbeaten 112 to become the first uncapped player in the Twenty20 tournament’s history to score a century in the play-offs as Bangalore surged past Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday.
The Faf du Plessis-led side will take on Rajasthan Royals in Friday’s second qualifier in Ahmedabad, with the winners to take on Gujarat Titans in the final two days later at the same venue.
The 28-year-old Patidar, a toporder batsman who was drafted into the side midway through the tournament as an injury replacement, came to Bangalore’s rescue after the loss of Du Plessis for nought.
“I have seen many impact innings and many innings under pressure over so many years, but I have not seen better than how Rajat played today,” Kohli said in a post-game chat with man of the match and team-mate Patidar.
“The magnitude of the game was so big that I was feeling the tension in the air because I have been in those situations where you have to cross the line as a team,” added Kohli, whose own usually blistering form with the bat has come under scrutiny.
“So what he did was very, very special and I don’t think that anyone should take that for granted. You should understand the excellence of his innings and appreciate as a cricketer to watch an innings like that.”
Patidar put on key partnerships including a 66-run stand with Kohli, who made 25, and 92 runs with in-form wicketkeeperbatsman Dinesh Karthik, who made 37 off 23 balls.
Patidar’s 54-ball knock was laced with 12 boundaries and seven sixes as he took the Lucknow bowlers by surprise at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. Patidar
steered Bangalore to 207-4, a hefty total their bowlers defended by restricting Lucknow to 193-6. Bangalore’s Australian pace bowler Josh Hazlewood took three wickets.
“There were a few tense moments, obviously it was a big game, but I think our bowlers held their nerve very well,” said Kohli, 33, who has suffered three ‘golden ducks’ in the IPL this season. Bangalore are into the playoffs for the third successive year but their IPL best has been two runners-up finishes in 2009 and 2016. “Cannot wait to get to Ahmedabad and take the field again,” said Kohli.
“We are just so excited and happy with how things have gone. We just want to go further in this tournament. “Hopefully two more games and then we all can celebrate.”
Dropping easy catches
A dejected Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul blamed sloppy fielding for his team’s 14-run defeat while acknowledging Rajat Patidar’s brilliant hundred being the difference between the two teams.
The 28-year-old Indore man Patidar scored a 54-ball 112 not out to singlehandedly win the IPL Eliminator for RCB. “I think
it’s quite obvious - the reasons why we didn’t win. We let ourselves down in the field. Dropping easy catches never helps. Difference was obviously Patidar playing such a knock. When someone in the top three scores a hundred, more often the team wins,” Rahul said after the match. Patidar was dropped thrice on the day en route his hundred and Rahul was livid with his team’s fielding.
“They fielded really well and we were poor,” he summed it up.
He however was happy that as a new franchise they finished in top four in their first season.
“We’ll take back a lot of posi
tives. It’s a new franchise. We’ve made a lot of mistakes, every team does that. Have to try and come back stronger. It’s a young team. They’ll learn from their mistakes, go back home and try and be better players.” There was special praise for Mohsin Khan, who once again was a shining star in an otherwise poor bowling effort.
“Mohsin showed everybody how good he is and what skill he possesses. As he grows with confidence, he’ll be able to clock speeds which are much higher. He will learn and develop a few more skills hopefully by next season.”