Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 20th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Apart from the game, it was also a face-off between Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly who is currently Director of Cricket in DC. For the unversed, the two were at the loggerheads around a year ago when Virat Kohli was hastily removed as the ODI captain after he stepped down as the T20I skipper. Different kind of statements came from Ganguly, then BCCI President, and Kohli around the captaincy drama and things are not well between them since.
Well, another interesting incident just confirmed that all is not hunky dory yet between the two stalwarts of Indian Cricket. They came face to face at the end of the match on Saturday and as the video has gone viral on social media, it can be seen that both Kohli and Ganguly didn't shake hands with each other. Both teams were going through customary post-match handshakes. Sourav Ganguly was immediately behind DC head coach Ricky Ponting who shook hands with the RCB batter Kohli and also stopped him to say a few words.
In the meantime, Ganguly was seen breaking the line and continuing the handshakes with the rest of the RCB players and the staff. Virat Kohli soon realised the same and looked back twice before continuing with the handshakes. The incident didn't go unnoticed and the video soon went viral on social media.
Here's the video:
Virat Kohli was also adjudged the Player of the Match for his brilliant knock of 50 runs off 34 balls while opening the innings. "It was a tricky one. When it went up in the air, I made sure there was no one close to me. I made sure I grabbed it solidly. I was quite disappointed that I got out to a full toss. I've been playing really well. I wanted to make sure that after fifty, I was targetting 30-35 runs off the next 10 balls. That's how I play. That would've helped us get past 200.
"One thing I mentioned to the guys in the change room that 175 was enough on this pitch. It slowed down considerably when the spinners came on. Even the balls to hit off the back foot off Kuldeep were holding up, unlike the other games we played. We did well to get to that score and had the belief it was enough. When I've played my best cricket, those are the balls I've put away consistently (length balls on the up). That helps me to put pressure on the bowlers.
"When I put away their best balls, they're going to try to do something else. I back myself to hit good balls and the best bowlers in the opposition. That's how I motivate myself to play out there. Very happy to get two points. We kind of let it slip away last two games. For us to bounce back like this was very crucial. That was a different mentality and phase altogether (T20 World Cup 2016 semis). I was in a space where I felt I could hit any ball. I back myself to hit good shots. When they come off they look good," Kohli said at the presentation ceremony.
