When the two leaders of the two opposing teams, Kohli and Gambhir, embraced each other, the long-standing rivalry between the two was finally over. Both Kohli and Gambhir also showed in the 2024 IPL how they can set aside their differences and prove their critics wrong.
Kohli stayed on as the skipper of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), while Gambhir came back to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as an advisor and saw the team through to winning the championship.
Kohli’s views on the IPL for the 2024 season
Kohli also appeared at an event with Asian Paints, where he spoke about the season and his attitude, especially towards Gambhir. He explained that Gambhir’s acceptance put an end to the circus, or “masala,” for trolls. Kohli had a sensational run in the tournament, was the highest run-getter with 741 runs in 15 games, and was awarded the Orange Cap.
Before the T20 World Cup, Kohli was still a focal point of the team. He is the highest run maker in the tournament. Thus having accumulated 1141 runs across the five tournaments, a clear demonstration of his prowess in the game. His statistics, for instance, 319 runs in 2014 and 296 runs in 2016, are a clear testimony to his prowess in the format.
Also read: Virat Kohli Reflects on Memorable World Cup Debut Ahead of 2024 T20 World Cup
Gambhir Returning to KKR on a High Note
Shreyas Iyer was able to lead KKR to their third IPL championship with Gambhir as his mentor. To clinch the trophy, they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final in a comprehensive manner, thus ending the long wait for the franchise. This success has also made Gambhir a strong contender to take over as the head coach of the Indian team, and it is said that he might replace Rahul Dravid after the ICC T20 World Cup tournament.
Looking back at the season, Gambhir identified Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma’s record opening stand, and Mayank Yadav’s fiery bowling spell as the highlights. He also expressed his admiration for RCB and their outstanding performance after they clinched six consecutive games to book a place in the playoffs.
When asked about his friendship with Kohli, Gambhir revealed that the two are not friends in the traditional sense, and their friendship is not for the gallery. The franchise’s CEO stated, “Our relationship is not to give masala to the public,” in an interview he had with Sportskeeda while appreciating Kohli for his ability to hit sixes and for his leadership.
Also read: Virat Kohli Yet To Join India’s T20 World Cup Squad For Warm-Up Match In The USA
Some other T20 World Cup legends
Some of the most significant players in the T20 World Cup include Mahela Jayawardene, Chris Gayle, and Rohit Sharma in terms of scoring. Jayawardene’s 1016 runs and his constancy to give his best were the keys to the success of Sri Lanka, and Gayle’s 965 runs and power-hitting made him the hero of the crowd.
Rohit Sharma has scored 963 runs at an average of 127 for every 100 balls as a batsman. 88, which proved to be very much a cornerstone for the Indian team.
England’s Jos Buttler tops the leaderboard with an amazing strike rate of 144. 48, followed by South Africa’s AB de Villiers with a total of 143 runs. Chris Gayles’s aggressive batting has a strike rate of 142. 75, while Jayawardene and David Warner have an impressive strike rate of 134 for the respective teams. 74 and 133. 22, respectively.
These players have undoubtedly made their mark in the T20 World Cup using big shots and striking performances.
Also read: Gautam Gambhir: Probably the Next Glorious Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team?
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