• Wion
  • /Sports
  • /'I’m going to...': Md Kaif recalls when RCB star Virat Kohli threw his bat in anger after getting out cheaply

'I’m going to...': Md Kaif recalls when RCB star Virat Kohli threw his bat in anger after getting out cheaply

'I’m going to...': Md Kaif recalls when RCB star Virat Kohli threw his bat in anger after getting out cheaply

Md Kaif recalls when RCB star Virat Kohli threw his bat in anger after getting out soon (Photo IPL/BCCI).

Virat Kohli opened his campaign in IPL 2023 with a superb 49-ball 82 not out in Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) season-opener, versus the Mumbai Indians (MI) at home. However, the former Indian and RCB skipper fell for a 21-ball 18 in his side's 81-run loss at the hands of two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 9 on Thursday evening (April 06).

After RCB had reduced Nitish Rana-led KKR for 89 for 5, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Shardul Thakur's 29-ball 68 and Rinku Singh's 33-ball 46 propelled Kolkata to 204 for 7. Many expected RCB's in-form openers Kohli and Faf du Plessis to score the bulk of runs, the duo stitched 44-run opening stand but once the duo were removed, everything went downhill for Bengaluru.

With KKR spinners, Varun Chakravarthy (4 for 15), Sunil Narine (2 for 16) and Suyash Sharma (3 for 30) shining with the ball, RCB folded for 123 in 17.4 overs to lose by 81 runs. After the clash, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif spoke about Kohli's failure and shared an unheard tale.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Kohli and Kaif had shared the RCB dressing room in the initial IPL seasons. Thus, Kaif recalled an episode when Kohli lost his cool after getting out cheaply. "There was this one time when Virat Kohli got out the same way he was dismissed today (vs KKR on Thursday). I was sitting right beside him, and I thought he will definitely throw his bat in anger. And yes, when he came, he threw his bat straightaway, removed his pad. I was sitting beside him, and he said, ‘I’m going to score big the next time',” Kaif recalled during his commentary stint onStar Sports.

Also Read:IPL 2023: 'What was that, completely avoidable shot' - Gavaskar BLASTS KKR skipper Nitish Rana in RCB tie

"In the next innings, he scored an unbeaten 72. Imagine. He had gone out, and he was upset. But he forgot that before coming to bat in the next match, scored 72. Then, I realised that this player is special,” Kaif further added.

Kohli -- who is the leading run-getter in the IPL (6,727) -- will hope to come back strongly in RCB's next clash, versus the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Bengaluru, and help his franchise return to winning ways.