Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra opined that legendary Indian cricketer Virat Kohli’s knock in the MI vs RCB game was extremely slow and he was worried about the lack of proper mindset during the game.

Rajat Patidar has played several spectacular innings in this edition of the IPL. The previous season, his main role was that of captain; However, this season he has notably led with the bat. Patidar scored two consecutive half-centuries in the last two matches.

However, his innings have come at a very rapid pace as he has scored over 250 in all three games, while he also played a very subtle role in RCB’s comeback against the Royals. However, Kohli, on the other hand, has struggled with his strike rate after reaching his second half-century in IPL 2026.

“Actually, Virat Kohli scored very slow runs.” -Aakash Chopra

In the same video, former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra went as far as to feel that Virat Kohli’s knock was too slow, and although it did not cost his team at the end of the game, the target was reduced by a considerable margin due to his poor strike rate.

“Virat Kohli actually scored very slow runs. If you look at it in the context of the match, you feel that it doesn’t matter that you won, but if you look at it from a cricketing perspective, it was a very slow knock. This kind of knock is unbecoming of this contest, and it is also unbecoming of Virat,” Chopra said.

“We saw a very good attack from Phit Salt. He was just saying whether Jacob Bethell could be played. He said, ‘Hush, sir, I am there’. Phil Salt’s batting was first class because a good start was needed. It was a maiden partnership of over 100 runs. When Phil Salt starts batting, he doesn’t stop,” he observed while talking about RCB’s other opener Phil Salt.

Aakash Chopra showed great concern over Virat Kohli’s injury

Chopra noted that the RCB veteran lacked the mentality he is widely known for, which was clear in the match against Mumbai Indians as he also wasted two reviews due to his wrong calls for a wide delivery.

“He tried, but it didn’t go well. In fact, he was probably so distracted that he wasted two reviews on long balls. That told me something about his mindset,” he observed.

He then added that Virat Kohli was probably injured too as in his entire IPL career, this was the first time that Virat Kohli did not take the field after playing well with the bat.

“He also got injured. Maybe that’s a problem because it was the first time I didn’t see him coming to the field. So he got injured and the hit was slow too,” he added.

Aakash announces RCB captain’s return to Indian team

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Rajat Patidar for consistently playing those big shots as soon as he reached the IPL 2026 box.

“How well Rajat Patidar is batting. He hit 14 sixes in the entire last year, which is excellent as he made the team win. However, now he has already hit 18 sixes. He has hit 10 sixes in the first 10 balls he has faced. It has only been four innings, and he has hit 10 sixes in just the first 10 balls. That acceleration is monstrous,” he said.

During the interview, Hardik Pandya, the cricketer-turned-commentator, stated that Rajat Patidar’s ability to play so well would give him an edge in returning to the Indian team as they have struggled in that department.

“Who starts like that? This guy does that. There was a time when he used to bat when people bowled to him. Now he hits even if fast bowlers bowl. Rajat Patidar is a good captain and bats very well. At some point, he will return to the Indian team,” Chopra observed.

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