Sunil Gavaskar on Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli’s impact in IPL 2025

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has entered its landmark 18th season, promising unparalleled cricketing action, record-breaking performances, and edge-of-the-seat entertainment. In the season opener, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) registered a dominant victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), setting the tone for an electrifying tournament.

Post-match, cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar shared their insights exclusively on JioHotstar, analysing standout performances and key takeaways from the match. The former Indian legend highlighted the performances of Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli. He also spoke about the attacking mindset displayed by batters in the IPL.

"Rajat Patidar has played under Virat Kohli and spent a lot of time with him, so he would have obviously gelled a lot easier. You could see that as soon as he went in to bat, Kohli was giving him the confidence to relax and play. And what an innings Virat Kohli played! What an innings Patidar played! It was a superb knock—the way he was stroking the ball and making it look easy," Gavaskar exclusively told JioHotstar.

"Recognizing that a quick victory is also important in the long run, RCB’s ability to restrict KKR from what initially looked like a 200-210 score down to 175 will give them loads of confidence. As a captain and a batter, Rajat Patidar has come good. Everything he did, including bowling changes, was outstanding," he further continued.

"Batters are getting more adventurous and aggressive. They understand that the powerplay—where only two fielders are outside the inner circle—must be capitalized on. You have to aim for 10-12 runs per over and reach around 60-75 runs in the first six overs, even if you lose just one wicket. That creates a strong platform to push towards 180-200 runs," the 75-year-old opined on the aggressive approach of batters.

Also Check: 'Even if I'm in a wheelchair, CSK will drag me' - MS Dhoni shuts down IPL retirement rumours

Gavaskar on MS Dhoni’s future

Besides, Sunil Gavaskar also addressed speculation over MS Dhoni's participation in the season. He pointed out how Dhoni has proved all his critics wrong everytime there was a question mark around his participation in the IPL. He also added that age was but just a number for the former Chennai Super Kings captain.

"Why should we even ask that question? Why put pressure on him? Every time people question MS Dhoni, he proves them wrong. Don’t doubt his ability. Even at this age, he’s hitting sixes not just past the boundary but into the stands during practice. Age is just a number when it comes to Dhoni," Gavaskar concluded.