Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star AB de Villiers extended his best wishes to his longtime friend Virat Kohli ahead of the opening game of IPL 2024 against defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday (March 22). De Villiers, sharing a photo of the duo on Instagram, captioned it: "Good luck my biscuit, Come on RCB."
Kohli and de Villiers have formed one of the most formidable partnerships in IPL history. They hold the record for the highest partnership in the tournament's history, scoring 229 runs for the Gujarat Lions in the 2016 edition. Additionally, they boast the record for the most runs in a partnership.
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Kohli, a stalwart of Indian cricket who has captained RCB in multiple seasons, is the leading run-scorer in IPL history. With 7263 runs in 237 matches at an average of 37.24, including seven centuries, Kohli's impact on the league has been immense. His 973-run tally in the 2016 edition remains the highest runs scored by any batter in a single IPL season.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers expressed confidence in Kohli's form for IPL 2024, anticipating a stellar performance and hinting at RCB's potential to clinch the title this year. He praised Kohli's accomplishments, highlighting his over 7000 runs and more than 200 IPL matches as extraordinary.
De Villiers also acknowledged the crucial role of RCB's bowling department, particularly led by Mohammed Siraj, in their campaign. He mentioned the team's depth this season as a significant factor in their potential success.
However, despite RCB's strong lineup and ambitions, they face a challenge at the Chidambaram Stadium, where they have struggled against CSK. Out of 30 encounters between the two teams, CSK has emerged victorious on 20 occasions, highlighting the tough competition awaiting RCB in the tournament opener.
