Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli were spotted welcoming one another in a playful exchange prior to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) match at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, May 9.
Kohli is presently representing RCB for the 16th consecutive year, while Sachin is the Mumbai franchise’s coach.
The duo were instrumental in India’s ODI World Cup victory in 2011 and have stayed close ever since, with Virat regularly referring to Sachin Tendulkar as his idol.
The Wankhede Stadium holds a significant place for both players because it was here that Kohli carried Sachin around for a lap of honour after India defeated Sri Lanka to win the World Cup on April 2, 2011.
Here’s a video of Kohli and Tendulkar’s cordial meeting:
Virat Kohli is Sachin Tendulkar’s closest successor, and the pair holds most of the batting records in cricket history.
With around 60,000 runs and 175 centuries, the tandem has played over 1000 International matches. Tendulkar scored 2,334 runs at an average of 34.84 at a strike rate of 119.82 in the IPL, while Kohli became the first and only batter to score over 7,000 runs at an average of 36.68 at a strike rate of 129.49.
With five victories in ten games, both MI and RCB are in a vulnerable position on the points table, and the outcome of their marquee showdown might have significant consequences for their playoff aspirations.
“It is just another milestone on the journey” – Virat Kohli on reaching the 7000-run mark in IPL
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli expressed his gratitude for reaching the 7000-run mark in the IPL against the Delhi Capitals at his hometown in Delhi on Saturday, May 6.
The 34-year-old surpassed the milestone with a knock of 55 off 46 deliveries, which helped RCB set a massive total of 181-4 in their 20 overs.
Virat spoke about his journey and achieving the milestone in Delhi during the mid-innings break.
“It is just another milestone on the journey,” he stated. “It’s a nice number, I just saw it on the screen. If it helps the team, I am happy to contribute. It’s a special moment for me, my family is here, my coach is here, Anushka is here. My whole journey started here.
“I was watched by the selectors at this ground and selected. I feel nothing but gratitude, god has blessed me with such amazing things, I can only bow down.”
Despite Kohli’s remarkable achievement, the match ended bittersweet for him as RCB were defeated by seven wickets and 20 balls to spare.
Virat Kohli surpassed the milestone with five centuries and 49 half-centuries in 233 matches, including the 2016 season, when he established the single-season scoring record with 973 runs.