Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar expressed satisfaction with his team's aggressive batting intent despite a narrow five-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Patidar said, 'We were just one or two shots behind. The intent was there, and that's what we want to see as a team.'
RCB's Aggressive Approach
Chasing a challenging target of 211, RCB got off to a flying start with openers Virat Kohli and Phil Salt adding 61 runs in just 4.3 overs. However, LSG's spinners, led by Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya, pulled things back in the middle overs. Patidar himself played a brisk knock of 34 off 20 balls, but RCB eventually fell short, finishing at 205 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Key Moments
- Virat Kohli scored a quickfire 42 off 26 balls before being dismissed by Shardul Thakur.
- Phil Salt contributed 38 off 22 balls, setting the tone for the chase.
- LSG's Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2 for 30 in 4 overs.
- In the final over, RCB needed 19 runs but could only manage 13, with Josh Hazlewood defending the total for LSG.
Patidar's Assessment
Patidar acknowledged that while the batting unit showed great intent, they need to finish games better. 'We are learning from each match. The boys are playing with freedom, and that's important in this format. We will work on closing out close games,' he added.
LSG captain KL Rahul, on the other hand, praised his team's all-round performance, particularly the spinners who applied pressure in the middle overs. 'We knew RCB would come hard, but our bowlers did a great job to pull things back,' Rahul said.
Looking Ahead
With this loss, RCB remain in the middle of the points table, while LSG climbed to the top four. Both teams will look to build on their performances in the upcoming matches. RCB's next game is against Chennai Super Kings, while LSG face Delhi Capitals.
