"If you can give it, you gotta take it. Otherwise don't give it" - Virat Kohli following RCB's high-octane win over LSG in IPL 2023
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Virat Kohli was at his fiery best during his team's 18-run win over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday, May 1. The former Indian skipper was involved in a post-match altercation with LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir and has been fined 100 percent of his match fee for the same.
Kohli played a crucial 31-run knock in the first innings and was a cannon of energy in the second, with his gestures and celebrations after each falling wicket. The energy was evident as RCB took the celebrations to the dressing room. Mohammed Siraj was spotted doing his trademark football celebrations as well.
Highlighting the crowd's support for RCB in Lucknow, Kohli said:
"If you can give it, you gotta take it. Otherwise don't give it. It was a really important win on the road for us, the fact that we got more support than the home crowd is an unbelievable feeling, tells you how much we are liked as a team and how people come out and back us."
The ace batter was seen riling up the crowd on several occasions and even shushing a segment at times as well.
Labeling the win as 'sweet for plenty of reasons', Kohli continued:
"It is a very sweet win. Feels good for many reasons, but most importantly for the character that we showed defending that total. I think everyone had the belief that we can do it and we ended up on the winning side as well which is great."
LSG failed to chase down the 127-run target set by the visitors, with KL Rahul's injury not helping their case. The LSG skipper came out to bat at No. 11, but the contest was wrapped up long before it to mark Lucknow's third consecutive home game loss.
"That is the best version of Virat, isn't it?" - Faf du Plessis on Kohli's performance against LSG
RCB skipper Faf du Plessis also played a major hand in RCB's away win. The veteran South African batter was adjudged the Player of the Match for his 44 runs off 40 deliveries on a tricky surface.
Stating that Kohli is at his absolute best when he is all riled up, du Plessis said:
"That is the best version of Virat, isn't it? You see him pumped up like that, that's when he is at his best. So it is awesome to be a part of it. My job is to keep things calm on the field, which I thought we did really well."
RCB will next take on the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, May 6.