Virat Kohli said that he is looking forward to playing alongside MS Dhoni when RCB and CSK lock horns in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match on Saturday, May 18 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Kohli said that it could also be the last time he gets to play with Dhoni after having shared the dressing room several times over the last 16 years.
Kohli and Dhoni last played international cricket together in the 2019 World Cup semi-final against Kane Williamson’s New Zealand at the Old Trafford in Manchester. The 35-year-old Kohli has always spoken highly of Dhoni and the duo have shared a healthy camaraderie.
“For fans to see him (Dhoni) play in any stadium in India is a big thing. Me & him playing again, maybe for the last time, you never know – that is a special thing,” Kohli said on Jio Cinema.
“We have had some great memories, some great partnerships for India, it’s a great occasion for fans to see us together,” Kohli added.
As far as RCB and CSK are concerned, both teams are looking to book their berth in the playoffs. The Challengers, however, need to beat Chennai by 18 runs or chase a target with 11 balls to finish in the top 4.
Kohli also spoke about dealing with criticism, saying that the now 42-year-old Dhoni also had his own methods of helping his team win.
“People used to say the same about Mahi bhai (Mahendra Singh Dhoni). ‘Why is he taking the game to 20th over or 50th over.’ But how many matches did he finish for India!” Kohli said.
“He’s probably the only person who knows what he’s doing! And he’s finishing the game from there. For me, that’s muscle memory. He knows if he takes the match till the last over, he’ll win the game.”
Kohli is currently the Orange Cap holder, having scored 661 runs from 13 games at an average of 66.10 and a strike-rate of 155.16 with 5 fifties and a hundred to his name.
Source: India Today