Tag: VIrat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had a great day in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday in a one-sided match to book their spot in the final. However, the win was overshadowed by a controversy involving star batter Virat Kohli.

The incident took place during the ninth over of the Punjab Kings’ innings when young batter Musheer Khan walked out to bat after Shashank Singh got out. Musheer, who is the younger brother of Indian cricketer Sarfaraz Khan, came in as an impact substitute at a time when PBKS was struggling at 60 for 6 in 8.2 overs.

As Musheer was getting ready to take his position at the crease, Kohli, who was fielding at slip, was seen saying something to his teammates. Though his exact words weren’t caught on the mic, many fans believe he said, “Pani pilata ha yar yeh” (He is a water boy).

The alleged remark didn’t sit well with many fans, who felt Kohli was disrespecting the young player. Social media was quick to react, with several users on X (formerly Twitter) calling out Kohli for his alleged comment.

“Paani pilata hai yeh” (he serves water to others)

See how shamelessly he’s laughing after saying that. pic.twitter.com/xl4WKuVkoP

— ` (@WorshipDhoni) May 30, 2025

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has once again etched his name in the history books.

Kohli became the first Indian batter to score 13,000 runs in T20 cricket. He achieved this feat in his 386th T20 innings, making him the second-fastest player in the world to reach this landmark.

During a match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Kohli’s team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), secured a crucial victory against the Mumbai Indians. With this win, RCB moved up to third place on the points table.

Batting first, RCB posted a formidable total of 221/5, with Kohli playing a brilliant knock of 67 runs. However, the highlight of the match was Kohli reaching a remarkable milestone in T20 cricket.

West Indian legend Chris Gayle remains the fastest, having crossed the 13,000-run mark in his 381st T20 innings.

Fastest Batters to Reach 13,000 T20 Runs (By Innings)

Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 381 innings

Virat Kohli (India) – 386 innings

Alex Hales (England) – 474 innings

Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) – 487 innings

Kieron Pollard (West Indies) – 594 innings

To date, only five players in the history of T20 cricket have managed to surpass the 13,000-run mark.

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has revealed the toughest bowler he has faced in his career, naming one of his teammates as the best in the world.

In a video shared by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kohli praised his teammate, Jasprit Bumrah, saying, “There is no doubt that he is the best bowler in the world across all formats. He has dismissed me a few times in the IPL.”

The 31-year-old fast bowler has established himself as a nightmare for opposition batters, and even Kohli is no exception.

Kohli first faced Bumrah during the 2013 edition of the IPL. Interestingly, Kohli became the fast bowler’s first-ever wicket in the tournament during a match between RCB and Mumbai Indians.

Although Kohli does not play him frequently in net sessions, their real battles occur in the IPL when RCB takes on Mumbai Indians. Speaking about their intense contests, Kohli said, “We don’t get to do this in the nets, but even there, it feels like we are playing an actual match. The intensity is the same as in an IPL game. We always think of every ball as a mental challenge.”

Kohli has played against Bumrah 16 times in the IPL. While the RCB batter has scored 140 runs at a strike rate of 147.36 against him, he has also been dismissed five times.

Currently, the star pacer is recovering from a back injury that ruled him out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Mumbai Indians could feel his absence in the early matches of the IPL. He is expected to rejoin the five-time champions in early April, provided he receives clearance from the medical team at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

He suffered a back strain during the fifth Test match against Australia in Sydney and was initially advised five weeks of rest. This led to his exclusion from the Champions Trophy 2025. Earlier, he had undergone back surgery in March 2023.

The fast bowler’s recovery will be crucial for India and Mumbai Indians, as he remains one of the most lethal pacers in world cricket today.

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has made an interesting statement regarding a potential reversal of his T20 International retirement.

Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is in June last year after leading India to victory in the ICC T20 World Cup. However, on Saturday, he hinted at the possibility of making a final comeback in the format for a special occasion.

According to Indian media, during a special event for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kohli told host Isa Guha that if the Indian cricket team reaches the final of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, he might consider coming out of retirement for that match.

The 36-year-old Kohli jokingly remarked that if India qualifies for the Olympic final, he would be ready to play one last T20I match. “If we are playing the final for a gold medal, I might sneak in for that match, win the medal, and then quietly return home,” he said humorously.

Kohli also expressed his excitement over cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics, saying, “When I heard the news, I was happy. T20 leagues around the world, including the IPL, have played a major role in this. It’s a great opportunity, and becoming an Olympic champion would be a massive achievement.”

It merits mention that cricket will return to the Olympics after 128 years, having last been included in the Games in 1900. The Los Angeles Games are expected to feature a T20 tournament.

Indian cricket team’s star batter, Virat Kohli, sustained an injury ahead of the highly anticipated International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy final against New Zealand.

On Friday, during a net practice session at the ICC Academy, Kohli was facing fast bowling when a sharp delivery struck his knee. Following the impact, he immediately stopped his practice. The Indian team’s physio staff promptly attended to him, applying spray and bandaging the affected area.

Despite the injury, Kohli remained on the field and observed the rest of the training session. He also reassured his teammates and coaching staff about his fitness. Later, the Indian coaching staff confirmed that Kohli’s injury was not serious and that he would be fully fit to play in the final.

Meanwhile, New Zealand also faced a major setback ahead of the final. Their key bowler, 33-year-old Tim Southee, suffered an injury while taking a catch during the semi-final against South Africa.

The Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand will be played in Dubai on Sunday, March 9.

Indian cricketer Rajat Patidar has been appointed as the new captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Many fans expected Virat Kohli to take over the captaincy after RCB did not retain Faf du Plessis, who led the team from 2022 to 2024.

The announcement was made in Bengaluru at an event attended by RCB’s team director, Muhammad Bobat, head coach Andy Flower, and Patidar. The 31-year-old batter has been with RCB since 2021, playing 28 matches and scoring 799 runs at a strike rate of 158.85.

Coach Andy Flower praised Patidar for his calmness and leadership qualities, while Muhammad Bobat revealed that Kohli was also considered for the role. However, they ultimately chose Patidar as they preferred an Indian captain and believed he was ready for the challenge.

Patidar has gained leadership experience by captaining Madhya Pradesh in domestic tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. He was also one of the three players RCB retained before the IPL 2025 mega auction.

RCB has never won an IPL title but has reached the final three times, with the last appearance in 2016. They made the playoffs in four of the previous five seasons, including in 2024, when they won six consecutive matches to qualify but lost in the Eliminator.

With RCB appointing Patidar, only Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) have yet to announce their captains for IPL 2025.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has turned down an invitation from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to address a New Year ceremony during India’s ongoing tour of Australia.

India’s tour Down Under has become a nightmare not only for the Indian team but also for captain Rohit Sharma. Defeats have made it difficult for India to reach the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) during this tour. Rohit Sharma himself is under severe criticism after a string of poor performances, and reports of differences with head coach Gautam Ghambir are circulating online.

According to foreign media, during the controversy, Indian captain Rohit Sharma turned down an invitation to address an official ceremony by the Australian Prime Minister on the occasion of New Year.

Rohit was supposed to address the ceremony, but at the last minute, he refused. Head coach Gautam Gambhir had to address the ceremony in his place. 

The reason why Rohit refused could not be revealed, but sources say that he could not prepare himself for the address due to differences in the team and consecutive failures.

Rohit Sharma has been dropped from the Sydney Test starting today. Jasprit Bumrah is leading in his place.

⇒Want to read about Virat Kohli? 

Indian star cricketer Virat Kohli has not only made his mark on the cricketing field, but is also quite popular on social media as one of the most expensive athletes to advertise with.

While he is the most followed cricketer as well as Indian personality on Instagram with a whopping 271 million followers, Kohli himself only follows 282 people, one of whom is a Pakistani cricketer.

Any guesses? Hint: it’s not Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi or Shahid Afridi. Well, Kohli does not follow any cricketers currently playing for Pakistan. Rather, he only follows former Pakistani fast bowler, skipper and ‘Sultan of Swing’ Wasim Akram.

Wasim is considered one of the world’s greatest bowlers. After retirement, he has also held coaching responsibilities in the Indian Premier League.

Why did Wasim Akram deny PCB’s job offer?

Former Pakistan cricket team captain Wasim Akram has opened up about why he declined a job offer from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

During an online press conference in Melbourne, he said, ” I received a job offer, but I’m not someone who can work a 9 to 5 job.”

Talking about the Champions Trophy 2025, he said, “Positive signals are coming from India regarding the Champions Trophy. The PCB has made several offers to the Indian Board, and India should come to Pakistan.”

Akram highlighted the massive fan following that Indian players have in Pakistan, saying, “Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav have many fans here. Fans are eagerly waiting for them. People from both countries should interact more, and India should consider this.”

On his personal experiences, he mentioned, “I haven’t been to India for six or seven years, and I miss the food and people there. Indian players would enjoy coming to Pakistan.”

Discussing the upcoming series in Australia, Akram noted, “Conditions in Australia are tough, and it won’t be easy for Pakistan. Winning even one ODI would be a significant achievement, and the T20 series should be good.”

Akram praised Fakhar Zaman, stating, “Fakhar Zaman is an impact player. I’m sure Fakhar didn’t write the social media statement himself. Whoever wrote it should have informed him about the potential issues related to the central contract. This is a lesson for Fakhar to be more mindful of his social media posts, and the PCB was right to be upset about the matter.”

The former national team captain also praised Mohsin Naqvi, saying, “Mohsin Naqvi is doing excellent work for cricket and can run the cricket board professionally.”

In response to a question about Rizwan’s captaincy, Akram said, “Mohammad Rizwan has captaincy experience and is a good choice. He should focus on his game.”

Regarding criticism of creating pitches for home advantage, Akram remarked, “We don’t need enemies when we have enough critics within. Criticism of home advantage is incomprehensible. I’ve been advocating for turning pitches for the past 5-6 years, even if it means losing. I’m glad that someone finally considered this, and after losing three consecutive Test matches, we won two consecutive Tests.”

Expressing his happiness about the future of Pakistani cricket, Akram added, “I’m pleased that young players are being given opportunities to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Players like Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah should focus on their game, leave social media, go home after playing cricket, and enjoy. Babar Azam should also forget about captaincy, play cricket, and score runs.”

Pakistan will be hosting the Champions Trophy next year in February and March.