IPL 2026: ‘Once he started flowing, it was one-way traffic’ - AB de Villiers hails Virat Kohli’s match-winning masterclass

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru great AB de Villiers shared his thoughts on RCB's success in winning back-to-back titles. He remarked that securing the championship this season was easier than the previous one, adding that the team now understands the winning formula and knows how to execute it effectively in a final.

Speaking about the summit clash, RCB registered a comfortable five-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31. After being put into bat, GT struggled to build momentum and finished with 155/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Washington Sundar was the standout performer for the Titans, remaining unbeaten on 50 off 37 deliveries. In reply, Virat Kohli played a match-winning knock of 75 not out from just 42 balls, smashing nine fours and three sixes.

"It was a lot easier than last year, that's for sure. Last year was emotional, and we weren't sure what was going to happen. This year, when I saw Virat before the start of the game, there was a bit more quiet confidence. We've been here before, now we know how it works and what the formula is. And what a remarkable achievement, back-to-back IPL champions. I couldn't be prouder,” said De Villiers on JioStar.

The South African legend praised Virat Kohli for his composure in the final, saying that his calm approach proved to be the defining factor in the chase. He noted that Kohli has a remarkable understanding of how to pace an innings under pressure and always knows when to accelerate. De Villiers added that it was fitting for Kohli to remain unbeaten and finish the match for RCB.

"In a final, if you take him out of that chasing batting order, then everything looks a bit different. With Rashid Khan firing from one end, and some of the other GT bowlers also doing really well, he just brings that calmness. He knows how to pace a chase right through the innings and finish it off,”  said De Villiers.

“And it's very fitting that he was there right at the end, scoring the winning runs. GT were a bit naughty in feeding him into his strengths. A lot of deliveries were on the legs in his first 20-30 runs. If you give one of the best players of all time a start like that, he's always going to punish you. Once he started flowing, it was just plain sailing, one-way traffic. To be there at the end and call those final moments was absolutely phenomenal,” he concluded.