For the first time in 19 seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Virat Kohli served as a shock substitute when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricketer came on in the second innings against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), only to bat. The development came after Kohli suffered an ankle injury during RCB’s win over Mumbai Indians and did not feature.
Against LSG, Kohli made a match-winning 49 as RCB chased down the target of 147 with ease and even declared that he was unwell for the past few days. “I’m still not 100%. My knee hurt a bit last game. Even health wise, I’ve been under the weather for four or five days now,” Kohli revealed in an interview after RCB’s win over LSG at home.
While Kohli has been batting fluently at the nets, the former India captain seems to have struggled when pushed hard on the field. With the match against Delhi Capitals just hours away at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the biggest question is whether Kohli will play on Saturday?
Kohli’s RCB teammate and Josh Hazlewood confirmed Kohli’s availability as a batsman against Delhi Capitals but chose to keep mum on his on-field contribution. “He’s definitely going to play, it’s just how much he can contribute in the field,” Hazlewood said at a pre-match press conference on Friday.
“He brings great energy and is one of our best outfield players so we’d love to see him out there full time. Knowing him, he’s not one to sit back, he’s always looking to get involved and make an impact,” the Australian added.
RCB will wear the green jerseys against Delhi Capitals
RCB will don their iconic green jerseys as part of their ‘green initiative’ when they take on Delhi Capitals on Saturday. Made from recycled materials, the jerseys continue to serve as a symbol of the franchise’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. Royal Challengers Bengaluru is the only carbon neutral T20 franchise in the world, according to an RCB release.
With an initiative launched in 2011, RCB continues to embed sustainability into all its operations with a structured focus on measurement, accountability and fan participation as it works to become carbon positive. RCB entered the competition on the back of strong performances with eight points from five matches.
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