Virat Kohli may no longer be the official captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), but his leadership instincts continue to shine on the field. The former India skipper remains deeply involved in guiding the team during crucial moments, and his tactical sharpness was once again on display during Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025.
In the high-stakes clash against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Kohli played a pivotal role in dismissing the dangerous Priyansh Arya. Arya, fresh off a match-winning half-century against Mumbai Indians, looked confident as he crunched a boundary in the very first over.
But his promising knock was cut short in the second over, thanks to a clever bit of anticipation from Kohli. Just before Yash Dayal delivered the ball, Kohli made a subtle yet telling gesture—he mimicked a cover drive, almost as if he had a sixth sense about Arya’s shot selection.
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Right on cue, Arya attempted the exact shot Kohli had signaled, only to mistime it straight to Krunal Pandya at cover. Kohli’s plan had worked to perfection, and his jubilant celebration reflected the intensity he brings to the game, even without the captain’s armband.
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Arya walked back for 7 off 5 deliveries, and his early dismissal set the tone for RCB’s dominant bowling performance. After winning the toss and opting to field, captain Rajat Patidar’s side struck early and often. At the time of this writing, Punjab Kings were in deep trouble at 71/7 in the 9th over, having also lost Prabhsimran Singh and skipper Shreyas Iyer cheaply.
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