Virat Kohli delivered a stellar unbeaten 62 off 45 balls, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a dominant nine-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2025 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Despite his composed innings, the intense Jaipur heat seemed to take a toll on Kohli.

The moment that caught everyone’s attention happened during the 15th over. After hustling for a double off Wanindu Hasaranga's delivery, Kohli looked visibly fatigued and was overheard on the stump mic requesting RR skipper Sanju Samson to check his heartbeat. "Heartbeat check karna," Kohli said, to which Samson replied, "Theek hai."

Following that over, RCB took a strategic timeout, allowing Kohli and Phil Salt to recover from the searing conditions.

RCB’s Blazing Start Seals the Match

RCB’s chase of 174 was defined by an electrifying opening stand of 92 runs between Kohli and Phil Salt, who smashed a quickfire 65 off 33 balls. Rajasthan Royals never really recovered from the early onslaught.

Acknowledging RCB’s dominance, Samson admitted in the post-match presentation, “They won the game in the powerplay itself. Credit to Salt and Kohli. The pitch got easier in the second innings, and they made the most of it.”

Milestone Alert: Kohli Joins Warner in Elite List

Kohli's knock also saw him enter the record books, becoming only the second batter after David Warner to register 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. Warner currently leads with 108 fifties.

Bowlers Set the Tone for RCB

RCB captain Rajat Patidar, who won the toss and chose to bowl, praised his bowlers for their precise execution. Rajasthan put up 173/4, powered by a solid 75 from Yashasvi Jaiswal, but it wasn't enough.

“Our bowlers were fantastic in the powerplay. Watching Salt's fireworks from the dugout and Kohli’s calm rotation of strike was special,” said Patidar post-match. “We back our bowlers to deliver on any pitch, and they didn’t disappoint.