Cricket

Virat Kohli, the legendary Indian batter, has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Dinesh Karthik, the veteran wicketkeeper-batter, following his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the conclusion of Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) campaign. Kohli described Karthik as a wise and honest individual who provided him with invaluable support during a challenging phase in his IPL career.Karthik, who joined RCB from Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022, played his final IPL match on Wednesday when RCB was eliminated by Rajasthan Royals in the playoffs. In a special tribute video released by RCB, Kohli shared his admiration for Karthik's character and cricketing abilities."Off the field, I have had some really nice and interesting conversations with him. He is a wise man, and has great knowledge about a lot of things, not just cricket," Kohli said.Kohli recalled the 2022 season when he struggled for form, averaging just 22.73 with 341 runs from 16 matches. Karthik's guidance and support during that difficult period proved to be invaluable."I have thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with him. Even in that phase in 2022 when I did not have a great IPL season, I was really struggling for confidence," Kohli said. "He sat me down a couple of times and just gave me a very honest explanation of how he saw things and maybe I am not able to see them myself."Karthik, a seasoned campaigner in the IPL, has represented six franchises since the league's inception in 2008. He has amassed 4,842 runs in 257 matches, including 22 fifties.Kohli praised Karthik's technical prowess and versatility as a batter. "I always looked at Dinesh and felt like he was such a correct player technically that he could adapt to any kind of role that's been given to him," Kohli said. "I remember watching him in the 2013 season where he got 600 runs or something and he batted brilliantly at three.""I saw him play shots which were like 'wow'. I think he's done brilliantly to switch and become a renowned finisher."Kohli expressed his hope that Karthik would continue to be involved with the RCB franchise in some capacity. "I wish him all the very best for all his future endeavors moving forward," Kohli said. "...because his expertise when it comes to cricket is priceless. I think he's of great value to this franchise."

Dinesh Karthik: RCB Fans Surpass Virat Kohli in SignificanceDinesh Karthik, the recently retired cricketer, has expressed his profound gratitude for the unwavering support of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans, declaring them to be even greater than the iconic Virat Kohli.Karthik's IPL journey concluded on Wednesday with RCB's elimination from the title race after a loss to Rajasthan Royals. During his four-year stint with RCB (2015 and 2022-24), Karthik witnessed firsthand the immense passion and loyalty of the franchise's fanbase."RCB is extraordinary, and it's all about the fans," Karthik emphasized. "Virat Kohli is a huge part of RCB, but the fans are even bigger. The love I've received from them is overwhelming. I believe that the support of RCB fans played a significant role in my selection for the 2022 T20 World Cup."Karthik also acknowledged the invaluable lessons he learned from his teammate, Virat Kohli. "I've always admired Virat and learned a lot from him. He's one of the greatest ever," Karthik said.In IPL 2024, Karthik made a significant contribution to RCB's campaign, scoring 326 runs in 15 matches at an impressive strike rate of 187.35.Karthik's retirement from all forms of cricket has not diminished his passion for the game. He has been named to the commentary panel for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas, which begins on June 2.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) endured another disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign in 2024, failing to lift the elusive trophy for the 17th consecutive time. Despite a dismal start to the season, winning only one of their first seven matches, RCB staged a remarkable comeback, notching six consecutive victories. Their resurgence included a crucial win against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK).However, their hopes were dashed in the Eliminator match against Rajasthan Royals. The match was marred by an incident outside the stadium, where a video emerged on social media showing a man wearing an RCB jersey assaulting a group of individuals, one of whom was wearing a CSK jersey. The authenticity of the video remains unverified.The rivalry between RCB and CSK fans has intensified since RCB eliminated CSK from the tournament. Former CSK player Ambati Rayudu has been particularly vocal in his criticism of RCB. After their elimination, Rayudu took to social media to troll the franchise, stating that "only passion and celebration don't win you the title."Rayudu's comments sparked a war of words between former players of both sides. Rayudu later clarified that his criticism was directed at RCB's management, not the fans. He emphasized that the franchise could have achieved greater success if they had prioritized team interests over individual milestones.Despite their disappointing season, RCB fans remain passionate about their team. They will be hoping for a stronger performance in the upcoming mega auction and a chance to finally break their IPL title drought.

Momentum vs. Performance: Gautam Gambhir's Take on RCB's IPL ExitKolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir has dismissed the notion that momentum played a significant role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's loss to Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2024 Eliminator. Despite RCB's impressive six-game winning streak leading into the playoffs, Gambhir believes that Rajasthan's superior performance on the day was the decisive factor."Momentum is a word that we just use too much," Gambhir told Sportskeeda. "What matters is with what intensity you take the field on the day. The team that plays fearlessly and with courage is the one that ends up with the advantage because neither the ball nor the bat knows the momentum."Gambhir emphasized the importance of mindset and consistency, particularly before crucial knockout games. He believes that players should treat every game with equal importance, maintaining intensity even throughout the league stages."You can't just switch on and off," Gambhir said. "You have to be consistent throughout the tournament. You can't just say, 'Oh, we're in the playoffs now, so we're going to play with more intensity.' You have to play with the same intensity from the first game to the last game."Gambhir also highlighted the competitiveness of the IPL, pointing out that there is very little separating the ten teams in the tournament. He believes that the league's difficulty and parity make it comparable to global tournaments."There isn't much difference between the team that finished No.1 and the team that finished No.10," Gambhir said. "If there's a five-match series between the two teams, I won't be surprised if the No.10 team beats the No.1 team comfortably. That's why the IPL is the toughest league in the world and at the level of any T20 World Cup. We all get the same purse and all teams formed are good."

Following their elimination from the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Andy Flower has ruled out applying for the position of India's head coach. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had invited applications for the role, with the tenure starting from July 1, 2022, and concluding on December 31, 2027.Flower emphasized his commitment to franchise cricket, stating, "I am happy with my involvement in the franchise league at the moment. I am really enjoying it. It is fascinating stuff and I have worked with some amazing organizations and I am happy with that at the moment."Regarding wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik's future, Flower hinted at a potential transition into coaching. "He quite likes the idea of coaching as well -- helping and working with other people which I am not surprised about. He will be a great success when he does that as well," Flower said.In the eliminator match against Rajasthan Royals (RR), RCB posted 172/8, with Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, and Mahipal Lomror contributing significant runs. However, RR bowlers, led by Avesh Khan, restricted RCB's scoring.In the chase, RR got off to a strong start with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tom Kohler Cadmore, but RCB bowlers applied pressure and picked up wickets. Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Rovman Powell then led RR's charge in the latter stages, securing a four-wicket victory with an over to spare.Mohammed Siraj was the standout bowler for RCB, while Ravichandran Ashwin, who also scored 26 runs, was named 'Player of the Match.' RR will now face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 on May 24, with the winner advancing to the final against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 26.

Dinesh Karthik, a stalwart of Indian cricket, bid farewell to the Indian Premier League (IPL) as his team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), bowed out of the competition on Wednesday. Karthik's final game in the T20 league was RCB's defeat against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Eliminator.Karthik's departure from the IPL was marked with a touching tribute from his RCB teammates, who gave him a guard of honor after the team's elimination. The franchise also shared a heartfelt video featuring interviews with Virat Kohli and Karthik's wife, Deepika Pallikal.Kohli, RCB's former skipper, recalled his first encounter with Karthik in 2009, describing him as an "amusing, hyper-active, confused person" who was always on the move. However, Kohli also praised Karthik's exceptional talent and his unwavering honesty and courage."Off the field, I have had some really nice and interesting conversations with him," Kohli said. "He is a wise man, has great knowledge about a lot of things, not just cricket. I have thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with him."Kohli shared an anecdote from 2022 when Karthik sat him down and provided an honest assessment of his struggles during that IPL season. "He gave me a very honest explanation of how he is seeing things and maybe I am not able to see them myself," Kohli said.Pallikal, a professional squash player, shared some memorable moments from Karthik's career and admitted that it would be difficult for him to move on from the game. She urged him to spend more time with her and their children now that he is retiring.Karthik's departure from the IPL marks the end of an era for Indian cricket. He has been a consistent performer for both India and RCB, known for his aggressive batting and astute wicket-keeping skills. His retirement will leave a void in the IPL and Indian cricket as a whole.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Andy Flower has emphasized the need for skilled bowlers and power-hitters in the team's future strategy, following their exit from the IPL Eliminator.Flower acknowledged that raw pace alone is insufficient to succeed at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where bowlers with specific plans and skills are required. He highlighted the team's struggles with pace bowlers, none of whom have performed exceptionally well in the tournament."You need skilful, intelligent bowlers and people that can bowl to really specific plans at Chinnaswamy," Flower said. "I don't really want to talk about that stuff yet, but I do think as part answer to your question the Chinnaswamy has some particular qualities that we need to be able to exploit."On the batting front, Flower emphasized the importance of power-hitters who can maintain the tempo of the game. "We have all seen how the power game has affected T20 cricket recently. On the batting front, you certainly need to recruit batsmen with that sort of power that can keep up that sort of tempo," he added.Flower expressed support for the 'Impact Player' rule, which allows two Indian players to participate in a game. He believes it has catalyzed batsmen to play more aggressively. "It has got a few positives about it absolutely. Now there's an extra Indian playing and that's a good thing for Indian cricket. It has catalysed the batsmen," Flower said.Despite Glenn Maxwell's struggles, Flower backed the Australian all-rounder to turn things around. "He's had an amazing couple of years actually. It was a surprise to everyone but I really wish him well. He's going to the World Cup now and I don't see any reason why he can't turn this around or turn his own personal form around in the World Cup for Australia," Flower said.Flower also hinted at the possibility of veteran India player Dinesh Karthik playing his last IPL game. "Possibly. He's been an absolute pleasure to work with this year. He hadn't played a lot of cricket leading into this tournament and what he's done for us, runs wise, attitude wise and contributing to the team in the dressing room and out on the field has been really special and I respect him for it," Flower said.

Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) endured another heartbreaking playoff exit in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday night, falling to the Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator. Despite Kohli's remarkable individual performance, amassing 741 runs and the Orange Cap, the team's title drought continues.Kohli's season began slowly, but he rediscovered his mojo, averaging 61.75 with a strike rate of 154.69. His century and five half-centuries showcased his class and determination. However, his brilliance could not compensate for the team's overall struggles.Despite the disappointment, Kohli remained positive, highlighting the team's turnaround and qualification for the playoffs. "We began expressing ourselves, started to play for our self-respect, and then the confidence came back," he said. "The way we turned things around was truly special."RCB head coach Andy Flower praised Kohli's leadership and skill. "The way he thinks about the game - he backs that up with an amazing level of skill, aggression, and hunger," Flower said. "I look forward to watching him in the World Cup."Kohli's performance bodes well for India ahead of the T20 World Cup. Despite speculation about his decline, he has proven that he still has plenty to offer. His hunger for runs and ability to accelerate the scoring rate remain unmatched.While Kohli's individual brilliance has been a constant for RCB, the team has struggled to find consistency and support around him. The agonizing wait for a maiden IPL trophy continues, but Kohli's determination and leadership will undoubtedly inspire the team to strive for success in the future.

RCB's Premature Celebrations Cost Them Dear, Says SrikkanthLegendary Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth has criticized Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for their excessive celebrations after their victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Srikkanth believes that RCB's complacency led to their downfall in the Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals (RR).RR defeated RCB by four wickets, ending their impressive comeback campaign. RCB had won six consecutive matches after a poor start, including a thrilling victory over CSK in their final league game. However, Srikkanth believes that RCB's celebrations after the CSK win were premature."In life when you are doing well, keep your mouth shut and keep going," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. "When you make noise out of something you are doing, you cannot do that work."Srikkanth criticized RCB for posting "unnecessary videos" and "showing off too much" after their win against CSK. He believes that this complacency allowed RR to exploit their weaknesses."That's why they came and destroyed them," Srikkanth said. "That's why in cricket you need to shut your mouth and play."Srikkanth also pointed out that RCB's six-match winning streak was not as impressive as the comebacks achieved by CSK and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the past."CSK and MI have done this so many more times," Srikkanth said. "CSK and Mumbai have both come from nowhere and won titles. These guys won six matches and as soon as they qualified, they got knocked out."RCB captain Faf Du Plessis admitted that his team was short with the bat against RR."With the dew coming, we felt we were short with the bat," Du Plessis said. "Did think we were 20 runs shy of what was a good score."Du Plessis praised his team's fighting spirit but acknowledged that they were not special enough with the bat in the Eliminator."Extremely proud," Du Plessis said. "Lot of teams - their wheels would've fallen off after 1 from 9. To come back like that, six games in a row, takes a lot of heart and character. We weren't special tonight in terms of pushing that extra 20 runs with the bat."