RR vs RCB, IPL 2025: Salt-powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru cruise to win against Rajasthan Royals
Royal Challengers Bengaluru is proving to be a force to be reckoned with on the road this season. After registering wins in Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai, the Bengaluru side added Jaipur to the list after it walloped the Rajasthan Royals by nine wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Sunday.
Royals’ homecoming this season wasn’t a happy affair as it ended in a huge defeat, much to the disappointment of the capacity crowd. RCB’s gun pair of Phil Salt (65) and Virat Kohli (62 not out) set up the win with an opening stand of 92 in 8.4 overs.
The powerplay, during which RCB raced to 65 for no loss, set the template for the chase. The Royals’ bowlers sprayed the ball around, and fielders failed to hold the catches, letting RCB off the hook. The catching was bizarre in the contest, with 10 chances going down but it was drops from Rajasthan which proved to be costly in the end.
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Salt, enjoying large slices of fortune with Jaiswal and Sandeep failing to grab the chances, made it count and with an assortment of pulls, cuts and drives, cantering to his half-century off 28 balls. Virat Kohli, dropped by Riyan Parag at long on when he was on 11, played the accumulator during Salt’s carnage.
However, after Salt’s departure, Kohli went into overdrive and carted Kartikeya and Hasaranga for sixes to reach his fifty off 32 balls. Impact Sub Devdutt Padikkal (40 not out) punished the wayward balls to add 83 runs for the second wicket with Kohli to hasten the win.
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In the afternoon, Royals openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson struggled for timing on the slow surface. Jaiswal (75) took the risks and rode his luck to keep the momentum going. Jaiswal’s second wicket stand of 55 runs with Riyan Parag (30) gave the innings the impetus it needed, but the two were dismissed against the run of play. Dhruv Jurel (35 not out) found his bearing towards the end and his late flourish help Royals to add 47 runs in the final five overs
