Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Rajat Patidar makes a surprising call amid the ongoing IPL 2026 season. Ahead of RCB’s next fixture, Patidar named the all-time bests in the history of the league. The players he picked, according to the sections, leave the cricket fans in disbelief. 

Patidar was asked to name the best finisher he has ever seen in the Indian Premier League. Taking no time, the RCB skipper picked AB de Villiers, a former South Africa and RCB batter, as the all-time best finisher in IPL.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar picks AB de Villiers over MS Dhoni

This pick might have hurt multiple Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans, as their icon and former captain, MS Dhoni, was ignored by Patidar in his comments. Dhoni, in his prime, was considered an established finisher for Team India and CSK, as he confirmed wins for both teams on multiple occasions. 

Meanwhile, MS Dhoni is currently out of CSK’s playing combination because of an injury. The former international missed the franchise’s first match in the 2026 season and is expected to miss a few more matches as well. As per current updates, the 44-year-old is recovering from a calf strain suffered during training and is expected to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Read More: Major injury update on Dewald Brevis arrives ahead of CSK vs PBKS IPL 2026 match

Why was MS Dhoni called a finisher?

The ‘captain cool’s one of the best highlights of his international career was when he smashed a maximum against the Sri Lanka cricket team in the final of the 2011 ICC ODI World Cup. Dhoni, then the captain of India, promoted himself in the batting order to compose the run chase and finished the business in style by hitting a six. Team India lifted the title after 28 years.

Another MS Dhoni moment came for the Men in Blue during the 2013 Tri-series Final vs Sri Lanka. In the decisive match of the tournament, the target set by Sri Lanka was only 202, an easy target on paper. The match was spiced up at the Port of Spain when India lost multiple wickets.

The run chase dragged until the very last over of the contest, reflecting the toe-to-toe competition between these two teams. Anchored by Rohit Sharma, India remained in the contest. Later, he got support from Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina, and MS Dhoni. In the last over, MS Dhoni struck 16 runs off the last three balls of the match to seal the match for India.

Rajat Patidar makes a few other surprising picks as well

Apart from the all-time best IPL finisher picking, Rajat Patidar has made multiple other surprising calls as well. According to him, not his RCB teammate and former captain Virat Kohli, but Rohit Sharma is the best IPL captain ever. Patidar’s choice makes sense as Rohit guided the Mumbai Indians in 5 title-winning moments.

Rajat voted for Virat when he was asked to name the best batter in IPL, while he mentioned Faf Du Plessis as the best fielder ever in the league. 

Ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), Virat Kohli reveals his most memorable moment with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The star batter has been with the franchise since the inception of the league.  Virat was only 19 when the franchise tournament kicked off.

On March 28, the 19^th edition of the IPL will commence, and Virat, who is now 37, will play another season for the Bengaluru-based franchise. It goes without saying that after playing so many years with only one franchise, the batter accumulated extensive experience. He is among the few cricketers how has been playing from the beginning and is still active as a national team cricketer. From the pages of the album, which RCB-related frame is most valuable for Virat?

What did Virat Kohli say about his favorite RCB memory?

During a recent event, the cornerstone of RCB spoke about his most memorable memory with the team in the Indian Premier League. The question was very easy for him to answer; it was the maiden trophy-winning moment for the franchise.

After waiting for almost 18 years, RCB claimed their first-ever IPL trophy, with Virat Kohli as the Best Player of the Match in the Final. In the summit clash of the IPL 2025 season, in a close-fought match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru outplayed Punjab Kings and hoisted the trophy. 

The frames capturing the celebrations went viral on social media instantly. Former cricketers and RCB legends like Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers were there at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to become a part of the moment.

Read More: IPL introduces official fantasy League ahead of 2026 season

Kohli and the former South Africa batter, AB de Villiers, share a close relationship. The Indian batting maestro stated that he will never forget the moment when he burst out of joy with Villiers as soon as RCB claimed the trophy.

“It's not difficult at all, the final was very memorable, there are moments within the game as well - when we got an important wicket, I was fielding at the boundary - AB De Villiers was standing outside, and we both celebrated in the same emotion,” Virat Kohli told the media.

Virat Kohli Shares His Most Memorable RCB Moment During An Event By Sun Pharma.♥️ pic.twitter.com/GvP59ATceV

— virat_kohli_18_club (@KohliSensation) March 21, 2026

Top moments of Virat Kohli with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru over the years

There are multiple memorable moments of Virat Kohli with RCB. Some of the instances may be the most common among cricket fans. On March 24, 2016, Virat Kohli registered his first IPL century with the franchise. Against the Gujarat Lions, the right-handed batter, who came to open the innings, remained unbeaten for 100 off 63. Though it was not enough for them to defeat the Gujarat Lions.

So far, IPL 2016 remains Virat Kohli’s finest IPL season. During the campaign, on May 18, when RCB was up against Punjab Kings, the batter performed with a stitch on his head, and confirmed a win by scoring 113 (50).

Fans react to Virat Kohli’s emotional revelation

Fans reacted as soon as the clip of Virat Kohli’s statement was shared on social media platforms. Many could easily relate to what Virat mentioned about his most memorable moment with RCB. Like Virat, for countless RCB fans, the maiden trophy-winning moment is priceless.

“That moment no one can forget. We can't overcome that moment. How can he? That's such a wholesome moment,” one of the netizens wrote on a ‘X’ post.

That moment no one can forget 🥹🥹. We can't overcome from that moment how can he. That's so wholesome moment.
Manifesting again ⭐⭐ on RCB men's jersey like Women's jersey. 🙏🤞🧿🧿

— ViratUniverse👑🚩 (@DipanshuV19) March 21, 2026

Virat Kohli and AB Deviliers share a different bonding together which is natural from both sides.Both show affection for each other and that's is great to see Virat remember AB Deviliers 🔥💥 pic.twitter.com/EOoTZXK1R7

— Rana Vivek Singh Rajput🇮🇳 (@singhvivek60) March 21, 2026

As excitement builds for the 19th season of the Indian Premier League, set to begin on March 28, 2026, fans are revisiting some of the most remarkable batting performances in the tournament’s history. Over the years, many batsmen have played unforgettable innings, but a few stand out because of their dominance and record-breaking scores.

Reports suggest that Royal Challengers Bengaluru may face Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Chennai Super Kings in the opening match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The IPL usually prefers big teams to play the first match. Teams like Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders are among the most valuable franchises, so a big clash is expected on the opening day.

The other finalist of IPL 2025, the Punjab Kings, are likely to play their first match on March 29 (Sunday) against the Gujarat Titans. This match could be the second game of IPL 2026.

Ahead of this, in this article, we will share the top five highest individual scores in IPL history.

Also read -BCCI announces date and venue for IPL 2026 captains' photoshoot

Chris Gayle – 175 Runs

Chris Gayle holds the record for the highest individual score in IPL history. Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013 against Pune Warriors India, Gayle scored an incredible 175 runs off just 66 balls. His explosive innings included 13 fours and 17 sixes and remains one of the most iconic knocks in T20 cricket.

Abhishek Sharma – 141 Runs

Abhishek Sharma is second on the list with a brilliant innings of 141 runs off 55 balls against the Punjab Kings. His attacking knock included 14 fours and 10 sixes and is one of the most memorable batting performances in IPL history.

Quinton de Kock – 140 Runs

Playing for Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 season, Quinton de Kock produced a fantastic innings against the Kolkata Knight Riders. He scored 140 runs from 70 balls, hitting 10 fours and 10 sixes. This is the third-highest individual score in IPL history.

AB de Villiers – 133 Runs*

In the 2015 IPL season, AB de Villiers played a brilliant innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Mumbai Indians. He remained unbeaten on 133 runs from just 59 balls and hit 19 fours and 4 sixes. It is considered one of the most entertaining knocks in the league.

KL Rahul – 132 Runs*

KL Rahul completes the top five with an unbeaten 132 runs in the 2020 IPL season against Royal Challengers Bangalore while playing for Punjab Kings. He scored his runs from 69 balls and hit 14 fours and 7 sixes.

AB de Villiers has always held a special place in the world of cricket. He is respected across generations, admired by fans of rival teams, and valued by fellow players. The former South African captain earned the nickname “Mr. 360” for his ability to play shots to all parts of the ground. His career is known for amazing performances, smart batting, and an image built on humility and fair play.

However, during the ongoing SA20 league, de Villiers was caught in an unexpected off-field moment that quickly went viral. While watching the match between Pretoria Capitals and MI Cape Town from the stands, cameras showed him vaping alongside his wife. The clip was shown during the live broadcast and soon spread across social media, surprising many fans.

The incident happened in the eighth over when the camera turned towards the crowd. De Villiers was seen blowing out smoke and reaching for another puff before he realised he was on camera. His surprised reaction and quick move to avoid attention made the moment even bigger, leading to a wide discussion among cricket fans.

Watch the video here:

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Ab de villiers vaping 🤣👌🏻#Abdivilliers #SA20League #MICTvsPC pic.twitter.com/XVJTqAFiEy

— the velvet revival (@willieedynamite) January 12, 2026

Also read -Vaibhav Sooryavanshi needs few Runs to break Virat Kohli’s stellar record ahead of the U19 World Cup clash

Cricket’s off-field surprises aren’t new

Cricket has seen such moments before. Even MS Dhoni, known as Captain Cool, was once seen smoking a hookah in Dubai. Former New Zealand batter and current England coach Brendon McCullum also faced attention for a smoking incident during a match. These moments show that cricketers also have off-field actions that often draw public interest.

Pretoria Capitals dominate on the field

While the vaping clip ruled social media, the match itself delivered strong on-field action. Batting first, Pretoria Capitals recovered well after early losses. Dewald Brevis gave quick momentum with a 19-ball 34, while Sherfane Rutherford played a key role with a powerful 53 off 27 balls. Their efforts helped the team post a competitive total of 185.

The bowlers then stepped up, led by Gideon Peters, who picked up three wickets for 32 runs. With good support from the rest of the attack, Pretoria Capitals bowled out MI Cape Town for 132 and secured a convincing 53-run win.

Although Pretoria’s strong performance sealed the result, it was AB de Villiers’ unexpected viral moment that grabbed the most attention. The incident ensured this SA20 clash will be remembered well beyond the final ball.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans were demanding to see the South African legend AB de Villiers for more time in the franchise colors in the Indian Premier League, as he guided South Africa to win the World Championship of Legends 2025 (WCL) trophy only a few months ago.

Villiers clearly said that at the age of 41, it is not possible for him to play in the IPL, which is around a 3-month-long league. But now, ahead of the new year, a report on RCB and AB de Villiers has emerged, which can cause joy for the franchise fans.

According to the latest updates, AB de Villiers is set to become the new batting coach of RCB. As of now, former India international Dinesh Karthik is the batting coach of RCB. So, if the reports and speculations are to be believed, then the IPL 2025 winning franchise can reshape their coaching setup. As of now, there is no strong confirmation about the possible change ahead of the 2026 season of the league (IPL 2026).

Read More:'Everyone’s still human' - Travis Head reacts to Ben Duckett over viral Noosa trip video

AB de Villiers to make a comeback in RCB?

A few months ago, this year, the former South Africa keeper-batter said in an interview, "I think I'd rather just support; I'm a very good supporter. Yeah, the IPL is just a very long tournament. It's almost a three-month tournament. It is a really big commitment for someone at the age of 41. You can't compare me to Imran Tahir. I work a lot harder. I had a lot more hard work. I think throughout the years." 

AB de Villiers was one of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s most explosive and iconic batsmen in the Indian Premier League. Over his IPL career, he amassed over 5,100 runs in 184 matches at an overall average of about 39.7 and a phenomenal strike rate around 151-152, plus 3 centuries and 40 fifties, making him one of the most feared middle-order hitters in the league.

Shubman Gill is walking like a cat on the hot tin roof for his struggling T20I record in the ongoing year. In the ongoing year, the right-handed batter has collected only 263 runs in 14 innings of the shortest format at an average of 23.91 and a strike rate of 142.93, with the best score of 47 that came against Pakistan during the Asia Cup 2025.

Gill is yet to celebrate a single half-century in the T20Is of the year, which will put pressure on the Indian management to drop him, especially to bring Sanju Samson into the eleven, as the latter could provide the wicket-keeping option along with opening the batting. But the former South Africa captain, AB de Villiers, doesn’t accept the idea.

See Also: “Ticked wrong box…”- Cameron Green drops shocking statement ahead of IPL 2026 auction

“Come on!! Do me a favor. Shubman Gill has failed just once or twice, and we are already talking about replacing him. We have to be patient. They need someone like him because they have so many aggressive batters in the Indian batting line-up.” De Villiers said in his YouTube video.

Ab de Villiers offers unique idea to play Shubman Gill in T20Is

There had been calls to bring Yashasvi Jaiswal into the T20I set-up. The left-handed batter, who has notched up 723 runs in 22 innings at an average of 36.15 and a strike rate of 164.31 with the help of five fifties and one century at the best score of 100, has earned success. And de Villiers isn’t denying it either.

Watch the video here: 

Ab Devilliers backs Shubman Gill :

Gill has failed just once or twice & we are already talking about replacing him we have to be patient, we need someone like him, ICT is already full of aggressive batsmen I would rather shift Gill at 3 & bring jaiswal as a opener pic.twitter.com/9V2NM05Muc

— Ironix (@ironix269) December 13, 2025

“Yes, Yashasvi Jaiswal is one of the best players I have ever seen to play the game. So, there is a spot for him. I wouldn’t put him for Gill. I will probably have Gill at three with Jaiswal opening the batting.” The former Protea batter noted.

If India does bring Jaiswal at the top and drop Gill at number three, then it will be against Tilak Verma, who has also done everything right to retain his place. India’s third encounter against the Rainbow Nation in the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on December 14 could prove to be a do-or-die clash for Shubman Gill.  

SA20 announced a star-studded commentary panel on Tuesday, December 9, for the upcoming fourth edition of the league. The panel features some of the most popular voices in world cricket, including South African legends AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn, England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, and South Africa-born superstar Kevin Pietersen. Morgan, who played in the first season of SA20, is now a regular expert with Sky Sports and will bring a fresh voice to the fast-growing T20 league in the rainbow nation.

Steyn, who was part of Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s support staff, will now move to the commentary box. He will join his former teammate and global fan favourite AB de Villiers, the brand ambassador of the tournament. The South African lineup in the commentary team is also very strong, with JP Duminy, Ashwell Prince, Chris Morris, and Vernon Philander joining the group.

Along with them, several respected global commentators will also be part of the panel. This includes Mark Nicholas, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Kass Naido, Natalie Germanos, Mark Butcher, Nikhil Uttamchandani, Lesego Pooe, Motshidisi Mohono, and Kriya Gangiah, who will all lend their voices behind the mic.

Also Read -Watch: “Don’t make fun of…”- Ravi Shastri attacks Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ODI future

AB de Villiers and Mark Butcher will again be among the stellar cast of @SuperSportTV commentary and presenting team for #BetwaySA20 Season 4 🎙️

Read more 🔗 https://t.co/C338vW72Gj

— Betway SA20 (@SA20_League) December 10, 2025

SA20 2025-26: Teams and Key Players Ahead of the Season

The 2025-26 edition of SA20 is set to kick off on Boxing Day, with defending champions MI Cape Town facing Durban’s Super Giants in the opening match at Newlands. MI Cape Town retained most of their core squad, except for Dewald Brevis and Delano Potgieter.

The Pretoria Capitals have rebuilt their team from scratch, signing players like Brevis, Keshav Maharaj, and Lungi Ngidi, while adding Andre Russell, Sherfan Rutherford, and Jordan Cox as part of their overseas lineup.

The Super Giants will have a new captain, Aiden Markram, along with star players Jos Buttler, Heinrich Klaasen, Noor Ahmad, and Sunil Narine in their squad. Johannesburg Super Kings strengthened their all-round options with Wiaan Mulder, while Paarl Royals added Sikandar Raza, Delano Potgieter, Kyle Verreynne, and Dan Lawrence to boost their batting depth.

The left-arm pacer of the Australian side, Mitchell Starc, has picked his three favorite and best players with whom he shared the dressing room. He made a special mention of the former national team captain, Ricky Ponting, with whom he was amazed to be part of the team, even for a small period.

Starc started with the former South Africa captain and the wicket-keeper batter, Ab de Villiers, who was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) when Starc shared the dressing room for a couple of seasons. He reflected on sharing a good friendship with him.

See Also: Watch: “Doubted me…?”- Ravichandran Ashwin decodes Virat Kohli’s fierce celebration in IND vs SA ODI series

“I am going to start with AB de Villiers. Didn’t spend a lot of time, but I was there for a couple of years in IPL in the same team. Got to play a lot against him, but it was really fortunate to play a few seasons with him at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and built a friendship and relationship with him.” Starc expressed in a video that has gone viral on social media platforms.

Watch: Mitchell Starc picks Virat Kohli among his three best cricketers he has played with in his career

Starc has hit the headlines currently with his 10-wicket haul in the opening Ashes 2025/26 Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, besides collecting six wickets in the second fixture at the Gabba in the day-night pink ball Test.

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“Number two is Steve Smith. I have spent almost the same period and most of the time with Steve, and I am very fortunate to play with him for most of the same teams. It’s lucky that I didn’t have to play any professional cricket against him because he is such an amazing player for Australia and any color he takes into. His cricket knowledge has been amazing.” Starc is addressed in the video.

“Number one will be Virat Kohli. The same few years when I was with Ab, the one right next door was Ab. To get to see his preparation and the way he dominated was cool. He is another player with whom I had so many battles over the years, and it was really cool to work with him for a couple of seasons.” The left-arm pacer of Australia concluded.