Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans were all left a bit tensed even as their team beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by 18 runs at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, as Virat Kohli sparked injury fears after spending significant time off the field.
Despite anchoring the RCB innings with a vintage 50 off 38 balls, Kohli was a notable absentee for a large part of Mumbai’s chase. The former captain was seen struggling with an ankle concern, leading to Jacob Bethell taking the field as a substitute.
In a bizarre coincidence for Indian cricket fans, MI skipper Rohit Sharma also left the field during the same match with a hamstring issue, leaving both icons on the recovery table following the high-intensity clash of the two titans.
Kohli’s record-breaking spree continues
Before the injury scare, Kohli was in record-breaking mode. During his stay at the crease, he became the first player in IPL history to cross 1,000 runs against Mumbai Indians. His tally against the five-time champions now stands at 1,030 runs. Furthermore, he surpassed Chris Gayle to claim the world record for the most century partnerships in T20 cricket (47).
What the captain said
Following the win, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar sought to downplay the severity of the injury. When asked about Kohli’s availability for the next game against Lucknow Super Giants, Patidar provided a cautiously optimistic update:
“I do not know yet, but I think he… I feel that he is okay right now,” Patidar said during the post-match interaction.
Will Kohli play LSG?
While the initial assessment suggests the ankle issue might be minor, the quick turnaround for the away game against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium remains a challenge. With the pitch in Lucknow expected to be abrasive and demanding, the RCB medical team will likely monitor Kohli’s workload closely over the next 48 hours.
For RCB, who posted a massive 240/4 on Sunday thanks to the Kohli-Salt opening act and a late Tim David cameo, losing their talismanic opener would be a massive blow to their momentum.