Virat Kohli was visibly heartbroken as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were eliminated from IPL 2024 after a four-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Ahmedabad on May 22. Despite entering the playoffs with a win over CSK, RCB’s hopes for a historic season were dashed.
Following the loss, ex-RCB captain Kohli expressed his frustration by dislodging the bails, a poignant moment captured by netizens. One user noted, “Virat Kohli finally flipping the bails down at the end of the match is both symbolic and poignant. The warrior played well throughout the tournament. In fact, he is the only World Cup-bound Indian player who was consistent. Well played.” Another commented, “Virat softly rubbing his hands over the stumps and putting the bails off has to be the most heartbreaking thing for me tonight.”
Kohli’s emotional reaction echoed a similar scene from the ICC World Cup 2023, where he dislodged the bails after India’s loss to Australia. Despite RCB’s exit, Kohli’s individual performance shone brightly. He leads the orange cap race with 741 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 154. Kohli also made history by becoming the first player to score 8000 runs in IPL, needing just 29 runs in the match against RR to achieve this milestone, surpassing his nearest rival, Shikhar Dhawan, who has 6,769 runs.
Though RCB’s journey ends, Kohli’s remarkable season remains a highlight of IPL 2024.
