Bengaluru, March 29 (NationPress) Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar praised the unified performance of his team during their season-opening victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad, highlighting that every player contributing to a strong start was a promising indicator for the remainder of the season.

At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB successfully chased down SRH's total of 201 with 26 balls remaining, kicking off their title defense in a grand manner. “The way the boys performed and the fact that everyone contributed was a promising sign for us. It was our first game of the season, and the collective effort for the team was very encouraging,” stated Patidar.

“Duffy's debut performance was remarkable; his bowling, especially taking the wickets of Head and Abhishek, proved to be crucial for our victory,” Patidar remarked at the end of the match.

When asked about RCB's aggressive batting strategy, bolstered by fifties from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal, Patidar said, “It wasn’t a set policy; we were simply evaluating the pitch. It was favorable for batting. The innings played by Kohli and Padikkal provided a strong foundation for our other batsmen.”

“We plan to maintain this approach. Kohli is exceptional; he consistently performs when we’re chasing, making him invaluable as our top batter. His innings and ability to stay till the end were outstanding,” he added.

Patidar also commented on Phil Salt's impressive one-handed catch to dismiss Ishan Kishan, stating, “Phil Salt made an incredible catch. I was surprised! He is known for being an excellent fielder and has taken many spectacular catches before.”

Duffy, who excelled with bowling figures of 3-22, was awarded Player of the Match on his IPL debut. “It was fantastic. I’ve heard wonderful things about Bangalore and RCB, and this was an exhilarating way to kick off the season. I believe it was a well-rounded team effort. I aimed to keep things simple,” Duffy mentioned.

“The strategy was to utilize the new ball, as it tends to swing in Bangalore. It can become tricky later, so I was fortunate to take a few early wickets, and the captain kept giving me the ball. Overall, it was a good day,” he added.

Regarding his bowling strategy, Duffy explained, “We discussed lengths and what works on this pitch. Josh had a successful season here last year, so I aimed to build on that and replicate it in my own style.”

Reflecting on his experiences from the T20 World Cup, Duffy said, “I had a basic plan entering that tournament, and there were definitely some challenging moments. However, this pitch offers different bounce than I’ve seen recently, making it tough for bowlers, so I’m learning as I go.”

“The decision to bowl my fourth over was made by the captain. He encouraged me, and I was eager to take on the challenge. When the ball is fresh and hard, it’s often the best time to bowl, which I was fortunate to do,” he added.

Kishan commented on SRH’s batting performance, noting that losing early wickets was detrimental, with five batters dismissed while attempting pull shots. “The pitch was favorable after the first few overs. We need to improve on that next time, as the second innings was noticeably easier for batting,” he stated.

“Credit goes to the batters, especially Kohli, for maintaining pressure on SRH’s bowlers during the chase. Securing his wicket early is crucial; otherwise, he becomes hard to contain,” Kishan highlighted.

While enjoying his IPL captaincy debut with a score of 80, Kishan acknowledged the need for improved bowling strategies. “We need to focus more on our bowling plans. It’s the first game, and such errors are acceptable. We will refine our execution in the next matches,” he explained.

“I truly enjoyed the experience. It’s IPL, so there are nerves, but we will grow stronger as a team. Winning upcoming matches will certainly ease the pressure for us moving forward,” he concluded.