Batsman Virat Kohli was visibly dejected after Royal Challengers Bengaluru were knocked out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) following their defeat to Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator on Wednesday. RCB’s six-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt in Ahmedabad, with the franchise once again missing out on the chance to lift the title. Kohli had an excellent season with the bat, scoring 741 runs in 15 matches. While it is highly likely that Kohli will take home the Orange Cap, an IPL trophy remains elusive for the former RCB captain.
After Rovman Powell hit the winning boundary for RR, a dejected Kohli was seen dropping the bails, repeating his actions after the heartbreaking ODI World Cup final defeat to Australia at the same venue.
Virat Kohli dislodging bail bonds in Ahmedabad…
Photo 1: Eliminator vs RR (May 22)
Photo 2: World Cup final x Australia (November 19)
Ek hi Kohli hai, kitni baar tootega. Two splendid tournaments with the bat, but he simply couldn’t get his hands on the trophy. pic.twitter.com/4jmNIpp7aj
-Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) May 22, 2024
They were discouraged. But what followed was a dramatic turnaround and a comeback fueled by beliefs and emotions.
Well done, Royal Challengers Bengaluru #TATAIPL | #RRvRCB | #Eliminator | #TheFinalCall | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/PLssOFbBvf
– IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 23, 2024
Kohli created history on Wednesday by becoming the first player to score 8,000 runs in the IPL.
To cross the 8,000-run mark, Kohli needed just 29 runs, and he achieved it with his trademark grace and precision. Yuzvendra Chahal removed Kohli after he scored 33 runs off 24 balls, including three boundaries and a six. His closest rival, Shikhar Dhawan, is behind with 6,769 runs.
So far in the tournament, Kohli has accumulated 741 runs in 15 games for RCB. With an average of 64 and a strike rate of 155 this season, he has scored one century and five half-centuries.
Talking about the Eliminator clash, Rajasthan Royals ended their four-match winless run in the Indian Premier League and bounced back at the right time to seal their place in Qualifier 2.
Meanwhile, Kohli is expected to leave for New York in the next few days to prepare for the T20 World Cup.
He has been named in the 15-man squad, which will be led by Rohit Sharma.
India is scheduled to face Ireland in the tournament opener on June 5.
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This story originally appeared on ndtv.com read the full story
