By Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered a disappointing 6-wicket loss against Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2025 clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday. The result not only handed DC another victory to maintain their unbeaten streak this season but also left RCB facing questions over their strategy and captaincy decisions — especially after a heated moment between Virat Kohli and RCB coach Dinesh Karthik grabbed the spotlight.
The match began on a promising note for RCB as they put up a competitive total of 163 runs while batting first. Their bowlers backed it up with a superb start in the powerplay, removing DC’s top three batters for just 30 runs. The home crowd had their hopes high, sensing an RCB win. However, it was Delhi’s star batter KL Rahul who turned the tide with a magnificent unbeaten knock of 93 runs.
Rahul’s calculated assault in the middle overs, coupled with his late acceleration, left the RCB bowlers clueless. He single-handedly guided DC to victory with 13 balls to spare, silencing the home supporters and strengthening DC’s position at the top of the points table.
However, what caught everyone’s attention during the game was an animated conversation between Virat Kohli and RCB coach Dinesh Karthik on the sidelines. As KL Rahul was taking the game away from RCB, cameras caught Kohli seemingly expressing frustration and displeasure while discussing strategy with Karthik.
This clip went viral across social media, leading to speculation that Kohli was unhappy with some of the decisions taken by RCB’s stand-in skipper Rajat Patidar during the game. The intensity of the discussion fueled rumours of a possible rift or disagreement within the RCB camp regarding on-field strategies.
Rajat Patidar, who is leading RCB in the absence of regular skipper Faf du Plessis, came under the scanner after the loss. His captaincy choices, field placements, and bowling changes were questioned by fans and experts alike, especially during the latter stages of Delhi’s chase.
Following the defeat, Patidar admitted that the team failed to read the pitch conditions correctly and also acknowledged the poor performance of the batters after a good start. RCB were comfortably placed at 80 for 1 at one stage but collapsed to 90 for 4, which proved to be a turning point in the match.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Patidar said, “We thought it was a nice batting wicket, but we didn’t bat well. It wasn’t acceptable to go from 80 for 1 to 90 for 4. Our batting line-up is strong, but we need to assess situations better. Tim David’s acceleration was a positive, and the bowling in the powerplay was special, but overall, we have to play smarter cricket.”
Patidar, however, refrained from blaming overconfidence for the batting collapse, suggesting that the mindset of the players was right but execution was lacking.
As things stand, RCB remain in third place on the IPL 2025 points table, while Delhi Capitals continue to dominate at the top with a flawless record. The viral footage of Kohli’s intense chat with Karthik has added a new layer of intrigue around RCB’s dressing room environment, with fans and experts keenly watching how things unfold in their upcoming matches.
Will this incident bring about a change in approach for RCB, or is it just a heat-of-the-moment exchange between two passionate cricketing minds? Only time will tell. Virat Kohli’s animated discussion with RCB coach Dinesh Karthik during the shocking loss against Delhi Capitals sparked speculation of his displeasure with skipper Rajat Patidar’s decisions after RCB suffered a 6-wicket defeat despite a strong start in the IPL 2025 clash.
