IPL 2026: 'Kohli's half-century came at a slightly slower pace vs MI, he wasn't fully satisfied,' says Harbhajan

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh offered a detailed assessment of Virat Kohli’s innings in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 18-run win over Mumbai Indians, opining that the veteran had a ‘slightly slow’ strike rate while scoring his fifty, but also dubbed his role in the game ‘crucial'.

In a high-scoring encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, RCB posted a formidable 240/4, with Kohli contributing a half-century alongside aggressive knocks from Phil Salt and Rajat Patidar. While Kohli reached his fifty, Harbhajan noted that the tempo of his innings was measured rather than explosive.

“Virat Kohli’s half-century came at a slightly slower pace. You could see he wasn’t fully satisfied, especially with the way Phil Salt was scoring at the other end. But his role was crucial. He ensured there were no early wickets and provided stability at the top. While players like Rajat Patidar and Salt played more aggressively, Kohli anchored the innings and allowed them to play their natural game. Against someone like Jasprit Bumrah, he was very cautious and played him intelligently, but he made sure to capitalise on the other bowlers whenever there was an opportunity,” he told JioStar.

Kohli’s strategy provided RCB with a solid foundation, enabling the middle order to accelerate and reach a total over 240, a target that ultimately secured victory. Harbhajan also pointed out Krunal Pandya’s bowling as crucial in limiting Mumbai’s chase, especially noting his control and strategic thinking during the middle overs.

“Krunal Pandya was outstanding, conceding just 26 runs in four overs and picking up a key wicket like Suryakumar Yadav is a massive contribution. People often say he doesn’t turn the ball much, but in T20 cricket, it’s more about game awareness than big spin. He uses his angles, pace, and understanding of conditions brilliantly. We talk a lot about batters, but matches like these are won by bowlers, and Krunal was the biggest difference. For anyone who says spinners don’t work at Wankhede, this was a perfect example of how to adapt and use your skill intelligently,” he added.

Mumbai, despite a strong start, faltered in the middle overs as Krunal and Suyash Sharma applied the brakes, ensuring the required run rate kept climbing. The dismissal of key batters, including Suryakumar Yadav, further dented their chase.