The spotlight will be once again on none other than Virat Kohli when Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, However, Aussie star Mitchell Starc will be the biggest threat to the star batter with RCB vs KKR kicking off 7.30 PM.
“Virat Kohli knows this game inside out, he has got plenty of experience. His numbers speak for itself. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bengaluru with Viar and got to know him better. We are looking for the challenge when we play them at Chinnaswamy.” said Starc ahead of the game.
When Starc last participated in the IPL back in 2015, he was Kohli’s teammate at RCB. Fast forward eight years, and they will now face each other as opponents, with Starc eager to make a statement. KKR secured Starc for a record-breaking sum of INR 24.75 crore in the IPL auction held in December.
However, his performance in the initial matches wasn’t up to par, as he conceded 53 runs without taking a wicket against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite the challenging conditions for bowlers at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Starc will be determined to bounce back and redeem himself.
Meanwhile, Kohli has enjoyed a stellar start to IPL 2024, amassing 98 runs in the first two matches, including a half-century in Bengaluru’s recent encounter against Punjab. The prolific batsman showcased his prowess by scoring 77 runs off just 49 deliveries, comprising 11 boundaries and two sixes.
Both Starc and Kohli will be pivotal for their respective teams as Kolkata and Bengaluru aim to maintain their winning streaks in the tournament.
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