(Image source from: Twitter.com/RCBTweets)
In a season where fans of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were cautioned against referring to him as 'king', Virat Kohli proved his worth by dominating over Shikhar Dhawan's Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday. Taking the field at the renowned M.Chinnaswamy Stadium for Bengaluru's first home game of the season, the batting maestro showcased his skills once again in the Indian Premier League (IPL), effectively silencing his detractors. The day before RCB's impressive four-wicket victory, Kohli, along with veteran Dinesh Karthik, engaged in a remarkable display of batting prowess. Meanwhile, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri and ex-England captain Kevin Pietersen engaged in a heated discussion regarding Team India's squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. While it has been confirmed that Rohit Sharma will lead India in the tournament, not much has been mentioned about Kohli's role. Prior to his sensational comeback with RCB, the former Indian captain opted out of the entire England Test series due to personal reasons.
During a live broadcast on Sunday, Pietersen gave Kohli a well-deserved acknowledgement. Pietersen argued that the T20 World Cup would require Kohli to serve as a representative of the sport in the United States. "The World Cup is taking place in the USA, and India will be playing against Pakistan in New York. Pietersen expressed his belief in the importance of growing the game, but Shastri countered by emphasizing the significance of winning the competition. Shastri mentioned India's victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup with a young team as evidence that youth, flamboyance, and passion are essential.
In an impressive display, Kohli showcased his skills by dismantling the strong bowling attack of the Punjab Kings in Bengaluru. Delighting the home crowd, Kohli played an aggressive innings, scoring 77 runs off 49 balls. With a total of 11 fours and two sixes, Kohli's performance was both entertaining and dominant. During the post-game presentation, Kohli received the Player of the Match award and made it clear that he was not solely focused on promoting T20 cricket around the world. With a smile, Kohli confidently stated that he still possesses the necessary abilities to excel in the game.
Kohli has secured the leading position on the IPL 2024 Orange Cap leaderboard by achieving his first half-century of the season. Nevertheless, Kohli has bigger ambitions this season. The ex-RCB captain is determined to put an end to Bengaluru's prolonged drought of IPL titles. "I no longer play solely for these caps. I assure you, I will consistently show up and give my utmost effort," affirmed the former RCB skipper.
