IPL 2025: A Batting Blast As Centurion Rishabh Pant And Jitesh Sharma Light Up Lucknow Skyline

IPL 2025: For sheer entertainment value, energy and enthusiasm, Royal Challengers Bengaluru scripted one of the biggest chases in the history of the Indian Premier League. Stand-in skipper Jitesh Shama milked 85 runs of 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants in a tall order chase which kept fans glued to their seats.

Tuesday night was a real treat for fans of T20 cricket, as Jitesh stayed unbeaten on 85 to chase a target of 228. To finish with 230 for 4, the runs scored were crazy, fast and furious.

For sure, those who fancy stats, records and more in the IPL had a busy night noting down all the details. What stood out was the ferocity of the contest, where RCB have again ensured they could soar. It has become like the Lucky 7 talisman, where they have won seven away matches to peak and make the cut for Qualifier 1. This is the kind of intensity one expects towards the tail end of the tournament. This is where class stands apart.

After Rishabh Pant had finally exploded into form in the least league match for LSG, tongues which were wagging had stopped. In fact, they were tongue tied as Pant went berserk. The arrogance with which Pant produced his 50 and then raced to a century defined his presence.

It may have been too late in the IPL to make an impact for the LSG team but all those who value Pant and have faith in his skills to destroy an attack witnessed carnage. An unbeaten 118 off 61 balls, studded with 11 fours and eight sixes at the No. 3 position, this is what Pant needed.

Call it an elevation of sorts, he batted at No.3 and then took on the RCB as captain in his own inimitable way. When Pant gets going, none can stop him. He needed this one big knock to launch himself. As Pant said later, he can now take a break and then prepare for the Test tour to England where he will be the deputy to Shubman Gill. For sure, Pant's knock was the corner stone of the LSG innings.

What LSG may not have bargained for was an assault from RCB, where intent, a team plan and wanting to do well in the IPL 2025 stood out. The sheer number of supporters RCB has on social media has breached all records.

They did create a mild stir as well with their official social media handle started tweeting in Kannada, just for fun. That it happened a day after there was a 'Hindi language incident' in Bengaluru in a bank, lent a new twist.

Well, the men who exploded for RCB with the bat were RCBians, and it did not matter whether they spoke the local Kannada language or not. In the IPL, what counts is one language: Peak performance, which RCB have shown this season.

For those who may think Virat Kohlin is playing only for fun, he has been instrumental in the top for RCB. That aggro may be less, compared to the past, but a knock of 54 from 30 balls at the No.3 position was defining. He has been in form and is ready to do anything to help the Bengaluru outfit.

But the joy provided by two fairly unknown men, Mayank Yadav, coming in as a late replacement in the IPL to score 40 and the assault from Jitesh Sharma, who will be 32 in October was high octane. Mayank, almost forgotten by many fans, was rapid in making 41. Jitesh may have panicked a bit when he was walking to the middle. But once he took guard, he was in a punitive mood.

The arrogance and ability to keep the intensity going for a match-winning knock of 85 lit up the sky. He truly grabbed the moment after a pep talk from mentors Kohli and Dinesh Karthik, as runs flowed from his bat.

Eight boundaries and six sixes, this was manic aggression which fans loved, inside the arena as well as on TV sets and phone apps. To compete a massive chase with eight balls to spare, RCB are on Cloud Nine.

"I cannot express my thoughts, I was just thinking about staying in the present. This (RCB) is a very big franchise and I am enjoying the pressure," said Jitesh. A star role and snatching victory, this was defining from the RCB gang.