Published 10:34 IST, August 16th 2020
IPL 2020: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers near to scoring 10000 runs between them for RCB
Team India skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers are close to reaching the 10,000-run mark together for RCB ahead of the IPL 2020 season in the UAE next month.
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After a four-month hiatus, the IPL 2020 is all set to return in the UAE next month on September 19. The tournament will be played behind closed doors amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and will mark the return of cricket for may Team India and international cricket stars. The IPL 2020 will mark the second time that tournament will be shifted to the UAE, after a part of the 2014 edition was held in the Gulf country due to the general elections in India that year.
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IPL dates: RCB stars Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers close in on unique landmark
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be itching to set their record straight when the take the field during the IPL 2020. RCB are one of the three teams yet to lift the coveted trophy, along with Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab. Despite boasting some of the biggest names in T20 circuit, RCB have been perennial underachievers and Virat Kohli will hope to change the team's fortunes once and for all this season.
Despite their disappointments, Kohli and de Villiers have scored a truckload of runs for the franchise and the duo are in a fair distance of achieving a milestone just amongst themselves. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have established as one of the most consistent and attacking partnerships in IPL history. Team India and RCB skipper finds himself at the top of the list of leading run-scorers in the IPL, while de Villiers also finds himself in the top 10 run-getters of the competition.
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The dynamic duo have totalled a whopping 9,551 runs during their respective careers and the IPL 2020 will likely see them breach the 10k barrier. The tally includes their run-scoring feats in the now-defunct Champions League T20. In the IPL, the RCB duo have smashed 9236 runs in just 303 matches. The RCB duo have scored 68 fifties and seven centuries amongst them.
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Amongst these 9,551 runs, Kohli has scored 5,836 runs in 192 matches for RCB while de Villiers has contributed with 3,755 runs from 127 matches since 2011 for the franchise. Chris Gayle, who now plays for the Kings XI Punjab, ranks third at 3,420 runs. Besides these three, no other batsman has scored the 2,000-run mark as Jacques Kallis comes fourth at 1,271 runs, showing not only Kohli and de Villiers' consistency, but the workload and dependence being extremely high on their partnerships and individual contributions alike.
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Despite many Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers heroics, RCB have over the last few seasons witnessed frequent batting collapses, with fellow batters failing to make the most of their opportunities. The franchise has attempted to address the issue with some astute purchases in the IPL 2020 auction, adding Australian captain Aaron Finch to their ranks, along with young Australian keeper Joshua Phillippe. The franchise also added all-rounders Chris Morris and Isuru Udana to their ranks and along with Moeen Ali, RCB boast of a strong batting line-up on paper for the IPL 2020.
(Image Courtesy: iplt20.com)
10:34 IST, August 16th 2020