Kamal Ghorui
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) received a slight scare during their 18-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday after Virat Kohli was seen spending time off the field due to an ankle concern.Kohli, who had earlier played a knock of 50 off 38 balls, did not remain active on the field during MI’s chase. Instead, Jacob Bethell came in as a substitute fielder while the former RCB captain stayed away from action. Interestingly, MI skipper Rohit Sharma also had to leave the field during the same game after picking up a hamstring issue, leaving both modern-day greats dealing with fitness concerns in a high-pressure contest.Despite the concern, Kohli had already made a strong impact in the match. He stitched a crucial century stand with Phil Salt and later reached a personal milestone, becoming the first player to score 1,000 runs against Mumbai Indians in the IPL. In total, Kohli now has 1,030 runs in 36 innings against MI at an average of 32.18 and a strike rate of 129.23, including a best of 92* and seven half-centuries.He also added another major record to his name by registering his 47th century partnership in T20 cricket, the most by any batter, surpassing Chris Gayle’s 46 such stands.Following the match, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar addressed concerns over Kohli’s fitness but provided a reassuring update. Speaking after the win, he said, “I do not know yet, but I think he, I feel that he is okay right now.”Patidar also reflected on the team’s performance, praising the batting effort and the atmosphere at the Wankhede Stadium. He highlighted the strong start provided by Kohli and Phil Salt, as well as the impact of his own knock and Tim David’s late cameo in pushing RCB to 240/4, which eventually proved decisive in the 18-run victory.
