Virat Kohli was seen animated throughout the recent RCB v CSK IPL 2024 encounter on Saturday. The match was a must-win for both teams as the final spot in the playoffs was at stake.
RCB was asked to bat first by Ruturaj Gaikwad and they posted 218/5 in 20 overs. Virat Kohli made 47, Rajat Patidar made 41 and Faf du Plessis scored 54 runs, while Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell played important cameos.
In response, CSK started poorly by losing captain Ruturaj Gaikwad for a duck and Daryl Mitchell followed for 4 runs. Rachin Ravindra kept CSK in the hunt with 61 runs, while Ravindra Jadeja’s 42* and MS Dhoni’s 25 took CSK to the brink of a win.
But Yash Dayal kept his cool in the last over and CSK was kept to 191/7 as RCB won by 27 runs and made it into playoffs. Now RCB will clash with Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator on May 22 in Ahmedabad.
Virat Kohli shouldn’t be involved with umpires: Matthew Hayden
RCB, who is presently on a six-match winning streak, played aggressively throughout the CSK innings. Every wicket was welcomed with enthusiasm, and the fielding attempts were excellent.
The RCB players were dissatisfied with one of the umpires’ decisions. The point of disagreement appeared to be a no-ball by Lockie Ferguson to Rachin Ravindra. Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli appeared to be informing the umpire that the slick ball was to blame. Something the duo had grumbled about a few times before.
Even after du Plessis left, Kohli returned and said something to the umpire. Australia great Matthew Hayden, a former CSK player, slammed Kohli’s behavior.
“There’s way too much interjection from Virat Kohli. He is not the captain and he should not be in those conversations with the umpire,” Hayden said on commentary.
Mathew Hayden said "Virat Kohli is not the captain as he got sacked, he shouldn't involve in conversations with umpire" pic.twitter.com/Xk3rYn5BLw
— 🔔 (@ArrestPandya) May 19, 2024
Virat Kohli got crazy 😧
Bro fighting with umpire now🤣😭#RCBVSCSK #CSKvsRCB pic.twitter.com/vF3DVjgT2P— Pratik⁴⁵ (@hiit_man45) May 18, 2024
Hayden’s comments, however, ignited social media debate because he criticized Kohli’s interaction with the umpires. Kohli is known for his passionate approach to the game, and he has frequently participated in impassioned disputes with umpires.
While Hayden’s leadership abilities are evident, his statements indicate that these encounters may be crossing a boundary in his current capacity as a player.
Throughout the game, Kohli appeared to be in the thick of things, frequently egging on the crowd and celebrating with vigor. It appeared that he was possessed and desperate for his side to win and advance to the knockout rounds, which RCB eventually achieved, after winning six games straight.
Also Read: Varun Aaron Believes RCB Can Overcome RR Hurdle In IPL 2024 Eliminator