The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) enjoy one of the craziest fan followings, and it was evident from the pack M Chinnaswamy stadium in back-to-back Unbox events ahead of IPL 2023 and 2022. They have also had some of the biggest names in world cricket, let alone the format. Yet RCB has never managed to win the coveted IPL trophy. And then, a string of poor performances between 2017 and 2019 saw them lose their spot as one of the heavyweights in the league.

But Virat Kohli, former RCB skipper, gave critics a hard-hitting reminder with an IPL stat comparing RCB with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

WATCH – RCB Players Danced On Sing After The Win Over MI

RCB made a perfect start to IPL 2023 as they beat five-time champions MI at home, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Virat Kohli pulled off a match-winning performance in the match, scoring an unbeaten 82 off 49 and stitching a record 148-run opening stand with captain Faf du Plessis, to help RCB wrap up the chase of 172 in 16.2 overs.

After the big win, Virat Kohli reminded RCB critics that after MI and CSK, Royal Challengers have the third most number of appearances in IPL playoffs. He said, “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.”

Kohli also spoke on RCB’s return home, after four years, in the presence of a packed crowd.

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During the post-match presentation, Virat Kohli said, “I thought it was a phenomenal win, a homecoming after 4 years. Couldn’t have asked for a better game. 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.”