Kohli Climbs, Hazlewood Holds: How RCB's Top-Two Hopes and Cap Contenders Are Shaping Up

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s chances of securing a top-two finish in IPL 2025 suffered a blow with their 42-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday night in Lucknow. The match, which saw a combined total of 420 runs and 16 wickets, didn’t significantly alter the Orange Cap or Purple Cap standings, but it did highlight some crucial developments that could influence the race in the coming days.

Virat Kohli, who had been pushed down the Orange Cap table due to a washout and a six-day gap between games, returned to action in style. Opening the chase of 232, Kohli looked in excellent touch, racing to 43 from 25 balls before falling in the seventh over. Though his knock wasn’t enough to carry RCB to victory, it did lift him to sixth on the run-scorers' chart with 548 runs from 12 innings. Given the form he has shown this season and the fact that two of the batters ahead of him — Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mitchell Marsh — won’t feature in the playoffs due to their teams’ elimination, Kohli remains a strong contender to finish near the top of the table.

The top two in the Orange Cap standings continue to be Gujarat Titans’ B Sai Sudharsan (638) and Shubman Gill (636), with Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav in third on 583. Kohli is expected to climb further if RCB qualifies for the playoffs, especially with momentum on his side.

On the bowling front, Josh Hazlewood’s injury-enforced absence has stalled his progress in the Purple Cap race. Despite not playing recently, he remains in fourth place with 18 wickets, behind GT’s Prasidh Krishna and CSK’s Noor Ahmad, who both have 21. MI’s Trent Boult also sits on 18 but has edged ahead due to a better economy rate. RCB will be hoping Hazlewood returns in time for their final league fixture and, potentially, the playoffs, where he could still make an impact.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings’ Arshdeep Singh, currently eighth with 16 wickets, will be a key name to watch when his side takes on Delhi Capitals. A strong showing could propel him into the top five and keep the Purple Cap race tightly contested as the league phase draws to a close.

RCB’s final game of the league phase will be crucial, not only for their place in the top four but for individual honours too. With Kohli hitting form at the right time and Hazlewood potentially returning, RCB could still shape the outcome of both Cap races — if they can hold their nerve in the decisive moments ahead.

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