Aakash Chopra described Virat Kohli’s game-winning shot as “his bat was firing” when he struck Kagiso Rabada after stepping out.

Aakash Chopra showered Virat Kohli with accolades following the former captain of India’s magnificent half-century as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, March 25, by four wickets.

Against a strong PBKS bowling attack, Kohli struck 77 runs off 49 balls, a stunning knock that lit up the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He also hit two sixes and eleven fours. In the powerplay, RCB lost wickets to skipper Faf du Plessis and all-rounder Cameron Green while chasing a goal of 177. However, Kohli grabbed control at the other end, hitting a barrage of boundaries to maintain control over the needed run rate. The 35-year-old took full advantage of the chance after Jonny Bairstow dropped him with his second ball.

Aakash Chopra, a former India opener, praised the right-handed batter’s excellent strokes during the game-winning knock.

“Virat Kohli was my first-day performer in this game. The way he batted. On his second ball, he was given a life, and Jonny Bairstow mishandled a catch that resulted in a four. He struck four fours in the opening over and three more after that. Choosing three of the best plays from the RCB-PBKS tie, Chopra remarked in a video posted on his YouTube channel, “I said Kohli’s bat was firing when he hit Kagiso Rabada after stepping out.”

“After that, he didn’t turn around. The six that he smashed off Rahul Chahar’s bowling over cover after that was an incredible shot. Probably because of that six, the captain declared he would no longer bowl to Chahar. The former India opener said, “Rahul Chahar bowled just one over.”

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The 46-year-old stated that the level of dominance with which Kohli performed on Monday demonstrates his current form. Chopra projected that the hall of fame batter would have a fantastic season.

It appeared that Punjab was winning the game after Kohli was substituted out. Aakash Chopra

RCB needed 47 runs off 24 balls as Kohli was removed in the 16th over. In order to win the match for his team with four balls remaining, Dinesh Karthik came out to bat at No. 7 and produced an incredible knock of 28 not out off 10 balls. Chopra heaped high praise on the wicketkeeper-batter for his brilliant finishing display.

Since it appeared like Punjab was winning the match after Kohli was removed, I am going with Dinesh Karthik. Arshdeep Singh, the best bowler in India, stood in front of him and he hadn’t played international cricket in a long time. Arshdeep may have been pressured because Karthik is still at the top of his game if he hits him in that way. Additionally, Harshal Patel “explained”

Chopra identified the third standout performer of the day as Mahipal Lomror, the Impact Player, who came in at No. 8. The southpaw kept Karthik company well, scoring 17 runs off just eight balls. Together, they amassed 48 runs off 18 balls, which helped RCB win the competition for the first time.

“This is Mahipal Lomror, my third performer. Because you don’t remember little performances, you might forget this one within three weeks. However, Chopra claimed that Lomror was very effective under pressure because of the way he batted—a four off the first ball, a six against Arshdeep, and then another four.