IPL 2021: Dale Steyn explains how RCB benefit under 'aggressive' Virat Kohli after Bengaluru thrash Rohit Sharma-led MI

Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) thrashed defending champions and five-time winners Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians (MI) by 54 runs in IPL 2021's Match 39, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, to finally get off the mark in the second and final leg of IPL 14 in the UAE.

Coming onto the game on the back of two heavy defeats, RCB beat MI -- who succumbed to their third loss in a row -- to now have 12 points up their sleeves after 10 games. Being asked to bat first, an aggressive start from Kohli (who fell for a 41-ball 51), Srikar Bharat's vital 32 and Glenn Maxwell's 37-ball 56 propelled RCB to 165-5. In reply, MI were 57 for no loss and 79 for 1 before a collapse saw them get all-out for 111 in 18.1 overs. 

During the clash, Kohli's aggressive intent with the bat and good captaincy decisions enabled RCB to finish on top. After the match, former RCB recruit and ex-South African pacer Dale Steyn has explained how the three-time runners-up benefit under 'aggressive' Kohli.

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“I think the guys prefer to see him be more aggressive, it seems to get him to play a bit more fluently. It kind of sparks the younger players too, a lot of the younger guys have massive respect for Virat, and they admire him so much that they kind of follow in his direction,” Steyn said on Star Sports' Live feed of Select Dugout.

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“When he's fighting fire with fire and nobody's doing it for India, you can hear all the quicks, when they were playing against England recently, how they were talking about following their captain and they wanting to play fighting fire with fire,” he added. "So, he does lead from the front in that aspect and RCB love it. He’s kind of built that thought around RCB now. It’s the kind of culture that they have got in that dressing room,” he signed off.

After getting back to winning ways, RCB will now aim to finish at the top 2 and qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2021. They still have four games to go, hence, the Kohli-led franchise won't be taking anything lightly as competition remains wide open and stiff among all teams, barring a struggling Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).