Virat Kohli was the most talked-about cricketer after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) in the ongoing IPL 2025 in Delhi on April 27, 2025. RCB registered a 6-wicket win over DC to now have 7 wins in 10 games in the ongoing IPL season, and have 14 points.

Kohli hit 51 off 47 deliveries and shared a match-winning fourth-wicket combination of 119 runs with Krunal Pandya (73 not out), allowing Royal Challengers Bengaluru to recover from a poor start to chase down DC's 163-run goal with six wickets and more than an over to spare.

RCB climbed to the top of the 2025 Indian Premier League rankings with seven wins in ten games, while Kohli moved to the top of the run-getters' chart this season with 443 runs, snatching Suryakumar Yadav's 'Orange Cap' away.

It was Kohli's sixth half-century of the season in ten games, and his third in a row.  Four of those six fifties have occurred in run-chases. He remained unbeaten in three of them.

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag lauded Virat Kohli’s ability to ace chases despite retiring from T20Is last year after India’s T20 World Cup 2024 win.

“His strike rate wasn’t up to the mark. But he remained a rock-solid presence at the centre, knowing that his dismissal could lead to the team struggling in the remainder of the chase, with new batters possibly struggling to get going. So, while his strike rate wasn’t as high, he remained in the chase until the end. Though he could not finish the game for his team, RCB ended up winning the game in the end,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

“Strike rate, therefore, matters only when the team loses. Had RCB lost this game, we might have been discussing his strike rate. His partnership with Krunal was excellent; not only was he scoring runs freely, but he also helped Krunal get going,” he added.

Sehwag explained that Kohli is known as a 'chase master' for a reason. Regarding his strike rate, Sehwag stated that Kohli will deliver an explosive knock when the scenario demands it.

“He knows he cannot afford to lose his wicket, that runs will eventually flow if he continues to bat through the innings. Kohli had also noticed that RCB had conceded 50-60 runs in the last five overs of DC’s innings, and knew things would get easier for him once the fast bowlers were reintroduced in the final stretch of the chase.

Virat Kohli is known as a ‘chasemaster’ for a reason. And let’s not discuss his boundaries; when the time comes for him to play an explosive knock, he will. What was important for him today was to stay till the end, build a solid partnership and guide his batting partner through the chase as well,” the former India opener added.

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India leg-spinner Amit Mishra felt that Kohli's presence at the crease was said to instill confidence in his colleagues. And, as his T20 style has evolved in recent years, Mishra believes Kohli has learned the importance of sticking at the crease until the final overs.

“He has understood the mantra of staying at the crease till the end, how his presence till the 14th or 15th over bears fruits. And like ‘Viru bhai’ said, strike rate does not matter so long as he remains at the centre.

It’s his presence at the crease that instills a sense of belief in batting partners. They listen to his advice and act accordingly. And that is what is happening currently. His teammates’ belief in him has grown even stronger after recent games. When you fight your way through the crunch phase of the innings, things automatically start falling in place,” he added.

RCB will next be in action when they take on CSK at home in Bengaluru on May 3.

(Cricbuzz inputs)