Kohli, Padikkal fifties power RCB to 205

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's luck at the toss continued to elude them--losing their fourth straight at home--but they did most other things right. Powered by half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal, and capped off by a brisk late surge from Tim David and Jitesh Sharma, they rallied to a commanding 205 for 5 against Rajasthan Royals - the highest total batting first so far at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

RR might reflect on their bowling effort through two contrasting lenses. Did they do enough to make RCB leave a few runs behind? Or will look back at the finish and wonder if they could've kept RCB below 190, especially after having picked 3 for 7, including both set batters, between overs 15-17?

"The surface was a little sticky, I feel it'll be challenging in the second innings," Padikkal observed at the mid-innings chat with Murali Kartik. "Last few games we haven't batted particularly well on this pitch, it was important we [him and Virat Kohli] ran hard in the middle.

"The last couple of years haven't been great, I worked hard on myself - mentally and tactically - to bring out my A game this season. DK [Dinesh Karthik] and Andy [Flower] around has been great. The amount of work I've done with DK, the knowledge and tactical insights he has brought has been tremendous."

RCB's innings began with Phil Salt falling early, attempting to slog-sweep Wanindu Hasaranga. Reprieved on 1 by Riyan Parag at mid-off, Salt was far from his menacing best and managed a middling 26 off 23. By the time he was out, RCB were 61 for 1 in 6.4 overs.

Kohli started scratchily - his first two fours off a fiery Jofra Archer coming under fortuitous circumstances. After he managed to lob one off the gloves over slips, he got a thick inside edge that shaved past leg stump for four. He put those two streaky boundaries behind him to hit a third when he whipped Archer through square leg.

Unlike in the previous home games where Kohli had been looking to hit out from get go, he was a lot more measured this time, bringing up his half-century off 32 deliveries before accelerating. It helped that Padikkal was in sparkling form at the other end.

Padikkal had his chances too. On 28, he was dropped at deep backward square by Tushar Deshpande, who had a nightmare time - conceding 36 from his two wicketless overs. Then on 36, he was put down by Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps when he attempted a cut off Parag. Padikkal eventually raised his second straight half-century.

Just as RCB were about to launch, Archer struck when he had Kohli mistime a lofted hit to a slower length ball to cover. Sandeep Sharma, who had endured two nightmare games, then had a double-wicket over when he dismissed Rajat Patidar and Padikkal in the same over. This is when David and Jitesh got together - putting together 42 in just 3.1 overs to give RCB the finish they needed.