Dinesh Karthik

IPL 2024: Dinesh Karthik’s 83 not enough as SRH’s 287 too good for RCB

Dinesh Karthik’s heroic effort was not enough for RCB as SRH secured a 25-run win over the hosts in the IPL 2024 run-fest in Bengaluru on Monday. Over 500 runs were scored, but Hyderabad managed to squeeze in a superb win over RCB. RCB managed to reach 262 but still fell 25 runs short of SRH’s record-breaking 287 for 3 in the match. With this batting effort RCB also the first team to score over 250 when chasing in an IPL match. It was their 2nd-highest total in the IPL and 5th-highest total in the tournament history. In what could easily be regarded as one of the finest display of batting in a T20 encounter, close to 550 runs were amassed in this match, precisely 549. However, despite witnessing an astounding total, Hyderabad emerged victorious, boasting an insurmountable lead. This fixture not only saw an unprecedented scoring spree but also shattered numerous records, officially securing its place as the highest-scoring T20 game ever recorded. With a staggering count of 79 boundaries, comprising 43 fours and 36 sixes, the sheer magnitude of this achievement is almost unfathomable. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule Bengaluru suffered their sixth loss in seven games and remains rooted at the bottom of the table but this shows how underwhelming they have been with the ball. The batters gave it their all but 288 to get in 120 legal deliveries is almost unthinkable. Both Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis started aggressively and got a plethora of boundaries away but Kohli got out for 42, after which Faf went on a rampage, but the next three batters that came in couldn’t even get into double figures. Faf du Plessis eventually got out on 62, after which Dinesh Karthik took matters into his hands and just about kept Bengaluru with a 1 percent chance of a win. He made a sensational 83 off 35 balls but got out in the 19th over and even Anuj Rawat’s little cameo in the final over wasn’t nearly enough to get them that crucial win. Defending a massive total of 287 runs, Hyderabad couldn’t pick up a wicket in the Powerplay and were a bit unlucky with the edges and ended up conceding 79 runs. It was then Mayank Markande who knocked over Virat Kohli right after the Powerplay and then skipper Pat Cummins got a couple of quick wickets to hand Hyderabad the advantage. With 5 wickets already in the bag, the visitors couldn’t capitalize and seemed nervous in the death overs. Cummins did provide one more breakthrough but they kept conceding boundaries at an alarming rate and it was T Natarajan who finally got DK in the penultimate over that sealed the game. Overall, not the best bowling performance but there were some positives, especially the way Cummins bowled. HEAD POWERS SRH TO 287 Travis Head’s blistering century powered SRH to a staggering 287 for three against a struggling RCB in their IPL 2024 encounter. This marked a new record, surpassing their previous high of 277 against MI earlier in the season. Head led from the front with a scintillating 102 off just 41 deliveries, marking his maiden T20 hundred. He formed crucial partnerships, first putting on 108 runs with Abhishek Sharma (34 off 22 balls) and then adding 57 with Heinrich Klaasen, who blazed his way to 67 off 31 balls. The left-handed Head’s batting style may lack elegance, but his sheer effectiveness was evident as he relentlessly punished the RCB bowlers. His approach was simple yet devastating: anything in his hitting zone was dispatched with authority. Even the introduction of debutant Lockie Ferguson failed to stem the flow of runs, with Head taking a particular liking to his bowling. Ferguson’s first over was forgettable, conceding 18 runs as Head unleashed his power with disdain. Despite losing Head after his hundred, Hyderabad’s onslaught continued unabated, with Klaasen taking over the role of aggressor. The South African hammered the spinners, including a brutal assault on Mahipal Lomror, yielding 18 runs in a single over. Hyderabad’s assault culminated in a monumental total, with Aiden Markram’s single off Vysakh Vijayakumar marking the historic moment as they surpassed their own record total. Hyderabad, as habitual to begin on a flier, started off exactly in the same way. After examining the pitch for the first over, the dual southpaw duo opened the floodgates from the get-go, going aggressively against the Bengaluru bowlers. Travis Head was the real aggressor as he timed the ball to perfection. It seemed like the ball was just effortlessly springing off his bat into the stands. Hyderabad boosted to 100 for no loss in just 7.1 overs. Abhishek Sharma too, didn’t stay quiet for long and joined the party before getting dismissed on a well-supported 34. The Aussie southpaw however looked in no mood to calm down and went on to notch up a sensational 102 before getting out. But, the damage continued as Heinrich Klaasen joined the party and smashed a 23-ball half-century and kept inflating the scoring rate with glorious strokes. After his departure, Abdul Samad further compounded the damage as he struck a quickfire 37 off a 10-ball cameo. Aiden Markram too didn’t sit back and further helped his team to surpass the 277 mark, a record that they set just a few games ago. Records shattered left, right, and center, bowlers left reeling with absolute helplessness, and once again, it’s the team clad in orange and black that has showcased unrelenting ruthlessness with the bat. Indeed, Hyderabad has developed a habit of toppling records remarkably. Picture this – 22 monstrous sixes along with 19 boundaries. It is the second-highest team total in the history of all T20s and the highest total in the history of the Indian T20 League. It tells you a story, the kind of nightmare the Hyderabad batters have wreaked on this already struggling Bengaluru bowling attack. Published By: Saurabh Kumar…

Read More
Mumbai Indians

Virat Kohli’s Request In Vain As Mumbai Crowd Boos Hardik Pandya Once Again

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was once again booed by the crowd at the Wankhede Stadium during the IPL 2024 match against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. Hardik has been on the receiving end of some negative reactions from the MI fanbase since replacing Rohit Sharma as the skipper. Things got worse as MI slumped to three back-to-back defeats in the competition but the past few games have witnessed a mini-resurgence for the side with two wins. During the last game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Virat Kohli was not pleased with the crowd booing Hardik and he requested them to cheer him and remember that he plays for the Indian cricket team. However, it looks like Kohli’s requests were in vain as Hardik was once again targeted with boos by the fans while loud chants of “Rohit Rohit” was also heard ahead of the start of the match. Hardik Pandya getting Huge boos at the toss This is Unreal by Rohit Sharma fans!!!pic.twitter.com/NJfUt2iuuH — ᴘʀᴀᴛʜᴍᴇsʜ⁴⁵ (@45Fan_Prathmesh) April 14, 2024 Meanwhile, Hardik won the toss and opted to field against Chennai Super Kings. “We would like to bowl first, dew will come into play. It (pitch) looks better than the last game, expecting a lot of runs. Need to stick to the basics. Winning is very important to get the momentum. We were able to win two games convincingly. That’s the beauty about IPL, everyone has to contribute. Your team will be able to achieve goals eventually. The dew started coming post 10 overs (in the last game.) It gets heavier in the evening. Same team.” Hardik said at the toss. Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings Playing XIs – Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Time David, Mohd Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Shreyas Gopal, Akash Madhwal Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee Subs: Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Naman Dhir, Nehal Wadhera, Harvik Chennai Super Kings:Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rachin Ravindran, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, M.S. Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman Subs:Matheesha Pathirana, Sindhi, Mitchell Santner, Moeen Ali, Adil Rasheed Topics mentioned in this article

Read More
Huge! MS Dhoni only second player after Virat Kohli to... | Cricket News

Huge! MS Dhoni only second player after Virat Kohli to… | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: MS Dhoni achieved a huge milestone by becoming only the second player in the history of T20 cricket to play 250 matches for a single team. The Sunday match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians marked Dhoni’s 250th appearance for the team.Dhoni’s total of 250 matches for CSK comprises 24 appearances he made in the Champions League T20.Dhoni returned to the hallowed turf of Wankhede for the first time ever as a non-captain of the CSK, potentially in his last IPL season.It was his first appearance as a player for any team since November 2005. Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Virat Kohli was the first player to have reached the milestone of playing 250 matches for a team.IPL 2024 Orange Cap | IPL 2024 Purple Cap | IPL 2024 Points tableKohli, who has been associated with the franchise since the inception of the IPL in 2008, played 243 matches for RCB in the league so far with an additional 15 outings in the CLT20.Dhoni entered CSK during the IPL 2008 mega-auction, assuming the captaincy. He later played for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017 before returning to CSK as their top choice in the IPL 2018 mega-auction. His loyalty continued as he was retained before the IPL 2022 mega-auction as well.Dhoni guided CSK to five IPL titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023. He relinquished CSK captaincy before the start of the IPL 2024 and handed over the reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Read More
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs SunRisers Hyderabad, IPL 2024: Match Preview, Fantasy Picks, Pitch And Weather Reports

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs SunRisers Hyderabad, IPL 2024: Match Preview, Fantasy Picks, Pitch And Weather Reports

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have played six matches in the series and they are currently ranked tenth on the points table, while SRH have played five matches in the series and are currently ranked fifth on the points table. Both teams last played against each other in the Match 65 of the Indian T20 League, 2023 where Virat Kohli scored the highest fantasy points for Royal Challengers Bengaluru with 144 match fantasy points while Heinrich Klaasen topped the fantasy points leaderboard for Sunrisers Hyderabad with 150 match fantasy points. In the last match against the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost by 7 wickets. The top fantasy player for Royal Challengers Bengaluru was Faf du Plessis who scored 87 fantasy points. The other top point-getters for RCB were Dinesh Karthik with 84 match fantasy points and Rajat Patidar with 79 match fantasy points. In their last match in this series against the Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 2 runs. The top fantasy player for Sunrisers Hyderabad was Nitish Kumar Reddy who scored 127 fantasy points. The other top point-getters for SRH were Bhuvneshwar Kumar with 72 match fantasy points and Pat Cummins with 52 match fantasy points. RCB vs SRH, Pitch Report and Weather Conditions The pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru will allow for good stroke play and the batters will find it easy to bat on the surface. The surface will not allow a lot of assistance to the bowlers and taking wickets is going to be difficult. The average 1st innings score at this venue in the last 20 matches is 166 runs. Chasing a target should be the preferred option at the venue since the team batting first has only won 37% of its matches. Pace or Spin? The venue is suited for both Pacers and Spinners alike. Weather Report Temperature is expected to be around 29.14 degree Celsius with 30% humidity. Winds at a speed of 6.49 m/s are expected. Cloud cover is expected, so expect some movement to aid the pace bowlers. RCB vs SRH, Head-to-Head In the 22 matches played between these 2 teams, Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounders have earned the most fantasy points for their team, while bowlers have earned the most fantasy points for Sunrisers Hyderabad. RCB vs SRH, Fantasy XI Top Captain and Vice-Captain Picks Virat Kohli Virat Kohli can be a good pick for your Fantasy XI Team. He has an average of 83 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 10. This player is a top-order opening batter, who bats right-handed. In the recent five matches, Virat Kohli has scored 298 runs averaging 99.3 per match. Faf du Plessis Faf du Plessis is a batter with an average of 44 match fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 9.2 and is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy Team. He is a top-order opening batter, and bats right-handed. In the last five matches, this player has scored 135 runs at an average of 27 per match. Heinrich Klaasen Heinrich Klaasen is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy XI Fantasy Team. Heinrich Klaasen has an average of 57 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 8.6. He is a batter, bats right-handed and also keeps wickets. In the last five matches, this player has scored 9, 10, 24, 80, and 63 runs at an average of 62 per match. Bhuvneshwar Kumar Bhuvneshwar Kumar can be a good pick for your Fantasy XI Team. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has an average of 58 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 8.8. He bowls right-arm medium and in the recently played four matches, this player has taken 0, 2, 1, 0, and 0 wickets at an average of 46.7. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has a very good record against this opponent, taking 1, 0, 0, 1, 1 wickets in the recent matches. He has been very successful at this venue in the recent 4 matches this player played here and has taken 0, 2, 1, 0, 0 wickets. Pat Cummins Pat Cummins is a bowler with an average of 43 match fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 7.8 and is a safe bet for your Fantasy XI Fantasy Team. Pat Cummins is a right-arm fast bowler and in the last three matches, he has taken as many wickets at an average of 26.3. This player has been very successful against this team, taking 1, 0, 0, 0, 0 wickets in the recent matches. Pat Cummins has been very successful at this venue in the recent three matches he played here and has taken three wickets. Abhishek Sharma Abhishek Sharma is an all-rounder with an average of 52 match fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 9 and can be a good pick for your Fantasy XI Team. This player is a top-order opening left-handed batter. In the recent four matches, Abhishek Sharma has scored 145 runs averaging 36.3 per match. Aiden Kyle Markram Aiden Markram is a very consistent player in terms of fantasy points. He has an average of 51 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 7.8. This player is a top-order right-handed batter. In the recent five matches, Aiden Markram has scored 127 runs at an average of 31.8 per match. RCB vs SRH Squad Information Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Squad: Dinesh Karthik, Virat Kohli, Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, Reece Topley, Lockie Ferguson, Tom Curran, Alzarri Joseph, Mahipal Lomror, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Siraj, Mayank Dagar, Cameron Green, Will Jacks, Suyash Prabhudessai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Manoj Bhandage, Anuj Rawat, Yash Dayal, Akash Deep, Saurav Chauhan, Rajan Kumar and Himanshu Sharma Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Squad: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Pat Cummins, Shahbaz Ahmed, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Upendra Yadav, T Natarajan, Glenn Phillips, Anmolpreet Singh, Washington…

Read More
Pat Cummins' cold-blooded 'World Cup 2023' throwback provokes Indian fans: 'We paid him 20 crore in return' | Cricket

Pat Cummins’ cold-blooded ‘World Cup 2023’ throwback provokes Indian fans: ‘We paid him 20 crore in return’ | Cricket

Australia skipper Pat Cummins added salt to the Indian cricket fans’ wounds from last year as he revealed his favourite memory in India. Cummins, who is currently leading Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League 2024, hosted an Ask me a question session on Instagram as one fan asked him about his favourite memory in India. Pat Cummins led Australia to ODI World Cup glory last year.(REUTERS) Cummins posted the photo of the Australian team celebrating the ODI World Cup 2023 triumph over India in the final. Unlock exclusive access to the story of India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! The premier pacer led the Aussies to their record-extending sixth World Cup trophy on November 19 with a clinical 6-wicket win over India in front of a jam-packed Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The fans on social media reacted to Cummins’ Instagram story. The Aussie team put up a collective effort and outclassed India, who were enjoying an unbeaten streak before the final, as Cummins also managed to silence the Ahmedabad crowd by dismissing the hosts’ best batter Virat Kohli. Meanwhile, Cummins has also been impressive in his first stint as captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad thus far. He has led the Orange Army to three wins in five matches. SRH edged past Punjab Kings in their last match which was a last-ball thriller. After the win over PBKS, Cummins said it was a great game of cricket and despite PBKS bowling well in the start, SRH did well to reach 182 and defend it. He also pointed out that the ‘Impact Player’ rule deepens the batting. “If you get 150-160, you are going to lose nine out of ten games anyway. We knew the new ball was going to be a key time. We were pretty happy (with our score). We saw what happened with the new ball for them, so thought if me and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) could start off with a wicket of wickets, it would be good. We have plenty of left-armers and right-armers, so just trying to give the bowlers the best chance of success,” Cummins said after the clash in Chandigarh. SRH will next clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Cummins and Co will enter the match as the favourites as RCB have been struggling miserably this season and currently placed at the bottom of the points table.

Read More
From Virat Kohli To Hardik Pandya: 5 T20 World Cup Selection Calls That Could Storm The World

From Virat Kohli To Hardik Pandya: 5 T20 World Cup Selection Calls That Could Storm The World

It’s that time of the year again when India will get an opportunity to end their ICC trophy drought. The T20 World Cup 2024 is just around the verge with its participants gearing up for the marquee event scheduled to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June later this year. Whatever you say about prioritising domestic cricket or not, the ongoing IPL 2024 season will be more important for the T20 World Cup selection than any other domestic tournament. So, the high-profile T20 league will be crucial for contenders to stake claim in India’s 15-member T20 World Cup 2024 squad because there isn’t even a week between the IPL and the upcoming ICC T20 event. (IPL 2024 Points Table) Nearly a third of the IPL is over with a few contenders already making their mark in the league. Let’s first look at a few players that are reasonable certainties. Any such list should always begin with skipper Rohit Sharma, he will open the proceedings with Yashasvi Jaiswal. And once you bring back Rohit, there is no point in leaving Virat Kohli behind, knowing that India’s batting still revolves around him. The only other batter who will certainly fly to the West Indies and the United States is Suryakumar Yadav, considering his 17-ball fifty against RCB on his comeback. In addition to these star batters, Jasprit Bumrah is also a no-brainer for the ICC event. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are most likely to cement their places in the spin department. Meanwhile, the return of Rishabh Pant and the rich form of Yuzvendra Chahal has also perplexed the Indian think tank. Ahead of the squad announcement, the selectors will be keenly looking for a handful of answers from IPL to their questions. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at a few debate-stirring points on T20 WC squad selection. Seam-bowling all-rounder as sixth bowling option If fully fit and in form, Mumbai Indians’ new skipper Hardik Pandya is a definite starter. But the selectors will want to see what kind of role he plays for his IPL team. After five games this season, Hardik has scored 129 runs and has leaked runs at 11.12 in three innings. Meanwhile, Shivam Dube has had a wonderful start to the IPL 2024, with 176 runs in five innings at an impressive strike rate of 160, but he is yet to bowl in this IPL and that is what has thrown challenges to the selectors. However, it will be interesting to see how Shivam Dube will be accommodated in the playing XI. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant ready for T20 World Cup? PBKS batter Jitesh Sharma was the closest contender for the wicketkeeper role at the start of the IPL but the decision-makers would ideally have liked to see him a little more in international outings. However, the return of Rishabh Pant has cleared the doubts concerning his recent form in the IPL. The southpaw smashed 196 runs in six innings at 157.72. Pant has competition from the likes of Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan, who are likely to be vying for the second wicketkeeper slot in the squad. “Yeah look it’s great for Indian cricket, but it’s also great for Rishabh Pant. I think the work that has gone into his rehab to get back to that level of play at any standard is an amazing achievement. “He deserves a lot of credit for his hard work and it’s great to see him on the field, captaining and playing well, batting and keeping,” former Australia captain Michael Clarke was quoted as saying to IPL broadcaster Star Sports. Pant, who had surgery on his knee, has shown that he is ready to bat and keep. Does Virat Kohli deserve a place in the squad? Former India captain Virat Kohli is currently leading the Orange Cap list after amassing 319 runs in six matches at 79.75, including a century. There is no way he is going to be left out, despite some talks to the contrary about his ‘anchoring’ strike rate. Virat has been an absolute match-winner for India since his international debut. In T20 World Cups, he has accumulated 1,141 runs in 25 innings at an impressive average of 81.50 and a strike rate over 130. With an immense experience of 117 T20I matches, Virat’s presence in the middle order as an anchor will only provide balance alongside the swashbuckling and aggressive styles of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Rinku Singh, and Shivam Dube. Pace bowlers apart from Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah is there for sure. He will be leading India’s pace battery in the T20 World Cup. But, India needs two more quicks in the starting XI for the ICC event. With Mohammed Shami out of contention due to injury and Bhuvneshwar Kumar not in India’s T20 schemes since the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup, no one is closer to Bumrah in terms of quality and experience. The last squad that played against Afghanistan featured Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar. One of the all-format pacers, Mohammed Siraj has been conceding runs at 10.40 in the ongoing IPL with only four scalps to his name after six matches. Lucknow Super Giants’ pace sensation Mayank Yadav was somewhere in the talks of making the squad but he still needs a handful of international matches to prove his worth. With India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 likely to be announced in the last week of April, these contenders have limited opportunities to impress and partner Bumrah in the fast bowling department. Who are the death-over hitters? Finishers auditioning for the aforementioned role must be able to strike 180 or more in overs 17 to 20. For that role, no one can go beyond Rinku Singh, at least in the T20 format. The southpaw has smashed 356 runs in 11 T20I innings at a whopping strike rate of 176.23. There is no reason to keep him…

Read More
Kolkata Knight Riders

Virat Kohli Orders Pizza, Aloo Chaat, Barfi, Leaves Faf Du Plessis In Shock. Watch

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are having tough time in the ongoing IPL 2024 as they have lost five out of their first six games. Currently placed at the bottom of the points table, the Faf du Plessis-led side lost their latest match against five-time champions Mumbai Indians by seven wickets. The match began with RCB posting a huge total of 196/8 in 20 overs. However, MI comfortably chased down the target in just 15.3 overs with Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav scoring 69 and 52 runs respectively. Read here: IPL 2024 Points Table Despite having a forgettable campaign, RCB players are maintaining a positive attitude off the field. A perfect of example of this was seen in an advertisement video, featuring Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj, and Faf. In the video, Kohli, who is widely popular for his strict diet and extreme fitness routine, was seen ordering junk food like pizza, aloo chaat, and barfi. Virat Kohli says goodbye to diet. pic.twitter.com/9SFBy0Aham — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 13, 2024 Faf, who lying beside Kohli, was shocked to hear all this from his star batter and said, “Seriously?” Pacer also asked Kohli, “Your diet?” Replying to both of them, Kohli said, “Abbe Kaahe ki diet, khaane de. (What diet? Let me eat).” Recently, former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull believes that India should use Kohli as an opener along with Rohit Sharma in the upcoming T20 World Cup. “I think Virat should open…100 per cent. I don’t think he should bat at number three, because if he does, then Rinku Singh will miss out. And in my India starting XI, Rinku has to play. Therefore, Virat’s got to open the batting. Now who he opens with, up to you. If it is Rohit Sharma or Jaiswal. But Kohli has to open, because in the modern game that is his best position. He hits the quick bowlers as good as anyone and he times the ball beautifully. Coming in and starting against spin is not his best option,” Moody said on Cricbuzz. In the ongoing IPL, Kohli has scored 319 runs in just six matches and is currently the highest run-scorer of the season. Topics mentioned in this article

Read More
Watch - 'And then you die and...': Virat Kohli on sticking to RCB despite multiple offers | Cricket News

Watch – ‘And then you die and…’: Virat Kohli on sticking to RCB despite multiple offers | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are synonymous to each other in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Virat has played for RCB since IPL’s inaugural season in 2008 and stuck to it.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEVirat has been the captain of RCB for several seasons, bringing his aggressive and passionate style of leadership to the team. Under his captaincy, RCB has seen both highs and lows, including reaching the IPL finals in 2016.But Kohli has stuck with the team even though RCB still haven’t won the IPL trophy.In a viral video, Kohli explains in a podcast what RCB means to him and why he has not joined any other team.The host asks, “Virat I know you love RCB just as much as RCB loves you. Even for a moment, for a second, while playing this IPL, have you ever wondered is the grass greener on the other side?”Virat answers, “To be very honest I have thought about it, yes I won’t shy away from it and I’ve been approached many times as well to come into the auction somehow, put my name in there and stuff. And then I thought about it I was like at the end of the day everyone has X number of years they live right and then you die and then life moves on. And there would have been many great people who want trophies and this that blah blah blah but no one addresses you in the room like “Oh he’s an IPL champion” or “he’s a World Cup champion”. “And it’s like if you’re a good person, people like you and if you’re a bad guy, they stay away from you and eventually that’s what life is all about so for me the understanding that the loyalty with RCB is like how I follow my life is far greater for me than the fact that yes five people in the room would say, “Oh finally you’ve won the IPL with whoever XYZ and yeah you feel good for five minutes but then the sixth minute you could be miserable with some other issue in life, so it is not the end of the world for me,” Kohli adds.Kohli goes on to say, “What this franchise (RCB) has given me in terms of opportunity in the first three years and believed in me, that is the most special thing because as I said there were many teams who had the opportunity but they didn’t back me, they didn’t believe in me so now when I’m successful and I should fall to the opinion of people saying “but the IPL”. This was the case with me till 2018 England tour happened. For four years of my life I was doing well everywhere in the world, the only thing was but “England”. So there’s always going to be buts, you literally can’t live your life like that and I just carry on my own thing and I actually honestly don’t even bother about a third person beyond myself, Anushka discussing things and just being true to ourselves. And that’s it for me, nothing else and no one else’s opinion matters at all.” Overall, Virat Kohli’s journey with RCB has been marked by exceptional batting displays, leadership challenges, and a strong connection with the team’s fan base, making him a central figure in the franchise’s history.Despite Kohli’s individual brilliance, RCB has often struggled to clinch the IPL title. They have reached the playoffs on multiple occasions but have faced challenges in converting those opportunities into championships.Unlike many other players who have switched teams over the years, Kohli has remained loyal to RCB throughout his IPL career. His commitment to the franchise has made him a beloved figure among RCB fans.Kohli’s personal achievements, including multiple centuries and accolades like the Orange Cap, highlight his impact on the team.

Read More
Riyan Parag For "T20 World Cup"? Ex-India Star Says He 'Won't Be Surprised'

Riyan Parag For “T20 World Cup”? Ex-India Star Says He ‘Won’t Be Surprised’

Wasim Jaffer feels Riyan Parag might be considered for a place in the T20 World Cup.© BCCI Former India batter Wasim Jaffer suggested that he won’t be surprised if Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder Riyan Parag is considered for a place in the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in West Indies and the USA. For years, the young right-handed batter faced trolls and criticism for his poor performances for RR. However, Parag has looked like a completely different player this season, and he is second in the list of highest run-scorers with 261 runs to his name in five matches. Read here: IPL 2024 Points Table Jaffer believes Parag might be on the list of names being considered for India’s T20 World Cup squad. “Looking at his form, I won’t be surprised if selectors are considering him for the T20 World Cup. The way he has played shows consistency, and I won’t be surprised if we see him there,” the former PBKS batting coach said on ESPNcricinfo. Jaffer also explained the reason behind Parag’s redemption arc and how the players has manage to shine this season, unlike the previous editions. “Riyan Parag is emerging to be a sensational player in this IPL. It’s pretty refreshing to see a young player performing like this. He has performed in the domestic cricket for Assam, and he’s carrying that form. The no.4 suits him better, as he gets some time to settle.” “The hard work is showing. He is fitter, and he looks composed. His shot selection is good; he has faced significant trolling over the past few years; he also played the difficult role of a finisher, but the Royals kept their faith in him. It feels like he has the right number now, and he is in the right frame of mind, too. He looks dedicated to proving everyone wrong,” he added. Only Virat Kohli (319) has scored more runs than Parag (261) in the ongoing IPL season. However, he will have a chance to overtake him when RR take on Punjab Kings on Saturday. Topics mentioned in this article

Read More