Royal Challengers Bengaluru suffered their third consecutive defeat in IPL 2024, falling to the Rajasthan Royals on Saturday in Jaipur. After team’s brutal loss, star batter Virat Kohli opted to return to Mumbai alone following the match.
Departure raises eyebrows
While the reasons for Virat Kohli‘s immediate return to Mumbai are unknown, his decision has raised some eyebrows. With RCB’s next match scheduled for Thursday against Mumbai Indians in Mumbai, Kohli’s presence could be expected in the training sessions.
Notably, Virat Kohli resides in Mumbai and with so many days of break before IPL match vs MI, star RCB batter will try to spend quality time with his family.
Virat Kohli shines despite defeat
Despite the loss, Virat Kohli displayed a return to form, smashing his eighth IPL century – his ninth overall in T20 cricket.
This unbeaten knock of 113 runs came in just 72 balls, including four sixes and twelve boundaries, and was a crucial pillar in RCB’s total of 183/3.
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Equalizing an unwanted record
However, Kohli’s century came with a bittersweet note. He also tied the record for the slowest IPL hundred in terms of balls faced, previously held by Manish Pandey (67 balls). Other notable names on this list include Sachin Tendulkar, David Warner, and Jos Buttler, who each scored centuries off 66 deliveries. Despite the slow pace, Kohli remains the king of IPL centuries, with eight tons to his name, followed by Chris Gayle with six.
Focus Shifts to MI vs RCB
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will undoubtedly be looking to break their losing streak and secure a win against their arch rivals, the Mumbai Indians.