Yep — that was as clinical as it gets from RCB on the road! What a turnaround, right? Less than two days after getting outplayed at home, and they walk into Mullanpur, apply the pressure from ball one, and just choke the life out of PBKS's innings after that powerplay burst. Prabhsimran looked like he was setting the stage for a 180+ total, but credit to RCB's bowlers for pulling things back hard after the powerplay. Restricting PBKS to 156 on that kind of surface — where early on it looked flat and inviting — was top-level execution, especially considering how the pitch wasn’t offering a ton for the bowlers. And then Kohli, doing what he’s done for over a decade — ice-cold, controlled chases, milking gaps, punishing anything loose. That 67th fifty-plus score in the IPL just underlines his ridiculous consistency in this format. Padikkal finally breaking his shackles with a fluid fifty would’ve been just as satisfying for RCB fans too, especially since his form had been patchy till now this season. Also, 5 away wins in 5 attempts? That’s a championship habit right there. For a team that used to dread away fixtures not too long ago, this is a big mental shift. That was vintage Kohli — the kind of innings that reminds everyone why he’s still the blueprint for run-chases in T20 cricket. That control he showed during the middle phase was classic: no rush, no panic, just calculated accumulation. When the total is in that 150-160 range, you can almost feel the script in his head: strong start, rotate through the middle, finish with a flourish — and that’s exactly how he played it. Padikkal played the aggressor's role perfectly too, which allowed Kohli to just settle and orchestrate the chase in his typical composed style. Also, the way RCB’s bowlers set it up shouldn’t be overlooked. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma squeezing the middle overs, Hazlewood and Bhuvi shutting the door at the death — that’s as close to a perfect T20 template as you can get: strangle the opposition in the middle, finish ruthlessly, and chase with control. And that 67th fifty-plus score? Just another reminder of the legacy Kohli is building in the IPL — most fifty-plus scores, and still going strong, especially when the stakes and conditions call for calm heads. RCB sitting third on the table now with this kind of form away from home is a serious signal to the other contenders. If their bowlers keep delivering and the top order remains steady, they might just be cracking the code for once. You could almost feel the weight lift off his shoulders when he raised that bat. After two tough seasons, doubts creeping in, and limited opportunities, to come out and play with that kind of intent — especially against his old nemesis Arshdeep early on — shows real character. That moment where he went for the upper-cut again right after being beaten first ball was peak "back-yourself" mentality, and it set the tone for the innings. Once he settled, it was the Padikkal we saw glimpses of back in his breakout season: elegant, easy on the eye, but still packing real intent, especially with those lofted shots against spin. The 103-run stand with Kohli looked smooth because their roles were so clear — Kohli the anchor, Padikkal the enforcer. That all-run four and then the 4-6 combo against Stoinis really showed his confidence returning. Even though he couldn’t finish the job, his 61 off 35 pretty much iced the chase for RCB before the endgame. That’s the kind of knock that can reboot a player’s season. If he can build on this, it’s massive for RCB’s campaign, because a solid left-hander at the top alongside Kohli gives them perfect balance. Royal Challengers Bengaluru 159 for 3 (Kohli 73*, Padikkal 61) beat Punjab Kings 157 for 6 (Prabhsimran 33, Shashank 31*, Krunal 2-25, Suyash 2-26) by seven wickets