Virat Kohli, a star batter for Team India, has a huge fan base in Bengaluru due to his long association with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since the first Indian Premier League (IPL). He returned to RCB’s home ground for the Test series opener against New Zealand.
The first Test of the three-match series was scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, but rain delayed the toss and washed out the morning session. While waiting, Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal went for an indoor practice session at the stadium.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Kohli approached the stands, showing their support for the former RCB captain. You can watch the video here:
Huge cheer for @imVkohli from the Bengaluru crowd as he walks past the stands with @ybj_19. 🗣 #ViratKohli • #INDvNZ • #ViratGang pic.twitter.com/0H8q0nk1UP
— ViratGang.in (@ViratGangIN) October 16, 2024
Virat Kohli is only 53 runs away from becoming the fourth Indian to reach 9,000 runs in Test cricket, joining the ranks of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
“At this point in his career, Virat Kohli is focused on winning games for India”- Mike Hesson
Former New Zealand cricketer Mike Hesson stated that Virat Kohli’s main goal is winning matches for India rather than his personal statistics. He noted that this mindset of Kohli could be concerning for opposing teams.
Hesson shared his thoughts with Jio Cinema (via India Today):
“I think Virat Kohli is at that stage in his career where he just wants to try and win games for India. And I think that’s a dangerous stage for other sides, because if he’s doing that rather than focusing on numbers, the big scores will come naturally.”
Discussing the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia, Hesson emphasized that Kohli’s ability to maintain the pace of the game will be vital for the Men in Blue, adding:
“The ability to hold a tempo in Australia is so important—being able to counterattack and knowing the right moments to do so. As mentioned, from 30 to 60 overs is a key phase. If Kohli is batting at that point, he won’t let the game drift. It’s about finding gaps, hitting gaps, getting ones and twos, and then, if they try and attack him, then he can counterattack.”
The five-match Test series between India and Australia is set to begin in Perth on November 22.
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