Indian batting legend Virat Kohli, who today is hailed as one of the greatest batsmen in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, had a very modest start to his career with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2008.
Kohli made his IPL debut in the inaugural season when RCB faced Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 18, 2008, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Virat Kohli’s RCB career started with unmemorable debut
Batting at number three, Kohli managed to score just 1 run off 5 balls before being dismissed by KKR pacer Ashok Dinda. It was a tough day not just for the young Kohli but for the entire RCB team.
Chasing a mammoth target of 223 runs, RCB collapsed for a mere 82 runs, suffering a massive 140-run defeat. The match is famously remembered for Brendon McCullum’s explosive 158* off 73 balls, which set the tone for the IPL’s future.
Despite the disappointing start, Kohli’s journey with RCB only grew stronger over the years. From struggling in his debut to becoming RCB’s all-time highest run-scorer and one of IPL’s biggest superstars, Kohli’s evolution is one of the most inspiring stories in the tournament’s history.
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Today, Virat Kohli is not just a symbol of consistency and aggression but also the emotional heartbeat of the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise, proving that humble beginnings often lead to historic legacies.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad for IPL 2008: Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Jacques Kallis, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn, Cameron White, Wasim Jaffer, Sunil Joshi, Praveen Kumar, Ross Taylor, Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdur Razzak, Vinay Kumar, Balachandra Akhil, Sreevats Goswami, Bharat Chipli, Devraj Patil, KP Appanna, Umesh Yadav (was in extended group but didn’t debut that season).
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