Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has made a magnificent start to the current Indian Premier League (IPL) season. In the tournament’s opening match, the defending champions virtually blew away Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). In that home fixture, which RCB won by six wickets, what truly stole the spotlight was Virat Kohli’s magnificent batting performance. By scoring 69 runs off just 38 balls, ‘King Virat’ demonstrated that despite a prolonged absence from international cricket, his batting skills remain as sharp as ever and his hunger for scoring runs remains undiminished.

Speaking on the RCB podcast today (March 31), Krunal Pandya, one of the team’s premier all-rounders, specifically highlighted this very aspect of Virat’s insatiable hunger for success. Krunal said, “Virat is a classic example you can see that hunger; you can see that passion in how he sees the game and how much he wants that victory. If Virat Kohli had been born in any generation, he would still be one of the greats. He is not competing with anyone else.” At the same time, praising the team captain, Rajat Patidar, he further added, “Rajat has done a pretty amazing job captaining such a big franchise like RCB in his first season. The way he led the team last year was very special.”

Krunal Pandya was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ title in last season’s final. This bowling all-rounder caught the eye with both bat and ball in the match where they defeated Punjab Kings to win the trophy. Krunal has also shed considerable light on how he handles pressure during big matches. He said, “When I get into the big occasions, I feel that if God has got you here, then there is a reason behind it. And sometimes I think that these big occasions are actually made for me. I feel the pressure, but I think about how I can be calm and in the present moment and do what is required.”

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