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The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) undoubtedly have the most fans in the country but one thing that has regularly eluded them is the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy. The side started their 2023 campaign in style, with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians, and look like a team ready to finally meet their promise of winning an IPL trophy.
The Challengers have come under criticism for the team's inability to win the trophy but former captain Virat Kohli, gave critics a taste of their own medicine with an IPL stat comparing RCB with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Kohli was key in RCB's opening win of the campaign, scoring an unbeaten 82 off 49 and stitching a record 148-run opening partnership with captain Faf du Plessis as the franchise from Bangalore wrapped up the 172-run chase in 16.2 overs.
After the momentous occasion, Kohli took his opportunity with the mic to remind the critics that after MI and CSK, Royal Challengers have the third most number of appearances in IPL playoffs. RCB have made it eight times to the playoffs in 15 seasons, three of which have come consecutively in the last three editions.
"I wanted to mention this for a while - after MI who have 5 titles and CSK who have 4, if I'm not wrong, we are the third team to have qualified the most times to the playoffs - 8 times. Take one game at a time and try to be a balanced side which we are and we would look to execute our plans as we did tonight," he said.
It was a memorable return to the MA Chidambaram stadium for the team as well as the fans, who witnessed their side win a match in their home stadium for the first time in four seasons, and the very first time under the captaincy of Faf du Plessis. Kohli also spoke about this return home after four years, to the presence of a packed crowd.
"I thought it was a phenomenal win, a homecoming after 4 years. Couldn't have asked for a better game," he said in the post-match presentation. "Phenomenal, it was a packed crowd, every seat was full when we walked in here. Very important we started off well, their support propelled us and that makes a massive difference."
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