IPL 2025: Dinesh Karthik's Special Tribute To Virat Kohli As RCB Book Qualifier 1 Spot

Virat Kohli once again stood tall on a big stage, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a memorable win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025. His composed 54-run knock set the platform for a high-pressure chase as RCB successfully hunted down 228 to storm into Qualifier 1. Batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik called Kohli “genius par excellence” for his unmatched consistency across 18 IPL seasons. Jitesh Sharma's explosive 85* sealed RCB's record seventh straight away win, reviving their title hopes and ending a long nine-year wait for top-two qualification.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru booked their place in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 with a clinical six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants, thanks to a composed fifty from Virat Kohli and a destructive finish from Jitesh Sharma. Chasing a massive 228-run target, RCB made light work of the scoreboard pressure with key contributions throughout their batting order.

Opening alongside Phil Salt, Kohli brought calm and control to the high-stakes chase. He scored 54 off 30 balls, anchoring the innings with calculated aggression and clever placement. While he missed out on a big score, his knock laid the perfect platform for the middle order to explode.

Batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik was full of praise for Kohli after the match. Speaking to JioHotstar, he called Kohli “genius par excellence” and hailed his longevity in the IPL. “Across 18 seasons, he's got 9000 runs, which is 500 runs a season. People managed to get that 12 seasons. Hayden has got it a few times more, but it is such a hard ask. But for him to come churn out runs every year, have that motivation, even in warmups, the way he feels, I was just hitting a few balls to him, the speed at which it comes back in the mid, it tells you the man has got so much passion and intensity with anything he wants to do, and that's such a brilliant attribute for any young boy and girl wanting to play sport, forget cricket, just the passion, the hard work, the dedication, with every minute you spend towards the sport. He is a walking example of that," said Karthik

While Kohli provided the base, it was Jitesh Sharma who stole the show with a breathtaking unbeaten 85 off just 33 deliveries. He hit boundaries at will, dismantling LSG's bowling attack in the final overs and taking RCB home with more than an over to spare.

Mayank Agarwal also played a key supporting role in the chase, stitching together a crucial partnership with Jitesh during the middle overs. Earlier, LSG had posted a formidable 227 on the board, thanks to a commanding century from their captain Rishabh Pant, who was playing a redemption innings under pressure.

Kohli also made history by becoming the first player to score 9,000 T20 runs, a testament to his unmatched consistency and fitness. He also climbed into the top five of the Orange Cap standings, now sitting on 602 runs in 14 matches, just behind Gujarat Titans' Sai Sudharsan.

RCB will now face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1, with a direct entry into the IPL 2025 final at stake. With momentum, belief, and form all on their side, RCB's fans will hope this is finally the season their team lifts the trophy that has eluded them for years.

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Topics mentioned in this article

Virat Kohli Dinesh Karthik Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 Cricket