IPL 2021, KKR vs RCB: Virat Kohli becomes first player to play 200 IPL games for Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli has become the first cricketer in Indian Premier League (IPL) history to represent the Bangalore-based franchise in 200 matches.
The 32-year-old made his IPL debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in a match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) back in 2008. Today, on September 20, 2021, Virat Kohli is playing his 200th game for the Royal Challengers, and co-incidentally, the opponents are Kolkata Knight Riders.
Kohli has had fantastic numbers in the IPL leading up to the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders today. He has batted in 191 IPL innings for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, scoring 6,076 runs at a strike rate of 130.41. Kohli's batting average in the IPL has been 37.98, while he has smashed 524 fours and 205 sixes.
Virat Kohli is the only player in the Indian Premier League who has been a part of all 14 IPL seasons and has never been auctioned. The right-handed batsman was signed by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the U-19 Player Draft of IPL Auction 2008.
An unfortunate coincidence between the 1st and 200th IPL games of Virat Kohli
Unfortunately, Kohli could not play a big knock for his team in Abu Dhabi today. He has already returned to the pavilion after scoring five runs. Prasidh Krishna trapped him in front of his stumps.
Notably, Kohli got out in single digits in his first IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders as well. Ashok Dinda rattled his stumps after he managed one run off four deliveries. RCB lost that game by a big margin.
It will be interesting to see if history repeats itself tonight.