RCB defended their score of 5-163 thanks to Chahal who took 3-18 in a match-turning four-over spell, as the Sunrisers were bowled out for 153 in the final over in the Indian Premier League.
Hyderabad weren’t helped by an ankle injury to Mitch Marsh while opener David Warner was unfortunately run out after Umesh Yadav deflected Jonny Bairstow’s straight drive on to the non-striker’s stumps.
But RCB set the tone early with Padikkal blasting 56 from 42 balls alongside Aaron Finch who made 29 from 27 balls in an opening stand worth 90 runs in 11 overs.
The pair fell in quick succession, before Kohli combined with AB de Villiers (51 from 30) to set a decent target, but Hyderabad appeared on track at 2-121 in the 16th over before Chahal produced a double strike which included Bairstow’s wicket for 61.
“We kept our composure and Yuzi comes in and completely changes the game for us,” Kohli said.
“Not many spinners got much out of the pitch, but tonight he showed that you can turn it if you have it in your wrists. He turned the game.”
The Sunrisers ended up losing 8-32 as their top heavy batting line-up failed to pull them through, with Chahal receiving good support from Navdeep Saini (2-25) and Shivam Dube (2-15).
But 20-year-old left-hander Padikkal’s quickfire half-century on debut couldn’t be ignored, even besides for Chahal and de Villiers’ latter heroics.
“To be honest, we started really well,” Kohli said. “Devdutt was really good on debut, Finchy as well.
“But when you lose two in two, you have to consolidate. If not for two in two, you were looking at maybe 10-20 runs more.
“In the past if we had 43 off five, you’d see the shoulders dropping but the guys kept believing, kept attacking.”
Rajasthan Royals play Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah on Tuesday night.