Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) produced a dominant batting display to chase down 206 against Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, securing a five-wicket victory. The win lifted them to second place in the IPL 2026 points table with 10 points, while Gujarat remained winless in their recent outings.
RCB's Chase Led by Kohli and Padikkal
Chasing a formidable target of 206, RCB suffered an early blow when Jacob Bethell was dismissed cheaply. However, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal then took control, adding 115 runs for the second wicket. Kohli played a composed innings of 81 off 45 balls, while Padikkal contributed a fluent 55 off 30 balls. Their partnership kept the required run rate under control and laid the foundation for a successful chase.
Kohli was given a reprieve early in his innings when Washington Sundar dropped him on zero off Mohammed Siraj. He made full use of the chance, punishing the Gujarat bowlers with a mix of boundaries and sixes. He hit Prasidh Krishna for two fours, flicked Kagiso Rabada for a six, and pulled Rashid Khan over mid-wicket for another maximum. He reached his fifty in just 30 balls.
Padikkal matched Kohli's aggression, smashing Prasidh for two sixes and also taking on Rashid for a maximum. He reached his fifty in just 20 balls, 10 deliveries quicker than Kohli. The partnership was eventually broken by Rashid, who bowled Padikkal with a sharp delivery.
Kohli looked set for a big score but was dismissed for 81, dragging a delivery from Jason Holder onto his stumps. RCB then suffered a mini-collapse as captain Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma also fell, leaving them at 173 for five. However, Krunal Pandya (23 off 12 balls) and Tim David (10 not out) ensured there were no further hiccups, guiding the team home in 18.5 overs.
Sai Sudharsan's Century in Vain
Earlier, Gujarat Titans posted 205 for three after being put in to bat, thanks to a brilliant century from Sai Sudharsan. Opening the innings with captain Shubman Gill, Sudharsan dominated the 128-run opening partnership. Gill made a steady 32 off 24 balls, but Sudharsan was the aggressor, scoring 46 runs in the powerplay and reaching his fifty in 33 balls by hitting Romario Shepherd for a six.
Sudharsan accelerated after reaching his half-century, scoring his next 50 runs in just 24 balls. He targeted the spinners, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, with authority. During his innings, he also became the fastest batter to reach 2,000 runs in IPL history. He reached his century with a single off Suyash, but was dropped on 91 by the same bowler off his own bowling.
Sudharsan was eventually dismissed for exactly 100, giving a return catch to Josh Hazlewood. After his wicket, RCB tightened the screws, conceding only 31 runs in the last four overs. Jason Holder's unbeaten 23 off 10 balls helped Gujarat cross the 200-run mark, but it proved insufficient as RCB chased down the target with ease.
With this win, RCB continued their strong home form, securing their fourth victory in five matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium this season. Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, will look to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.
