Virat Kohli and Harry Kane: Perennial case of 'so near, yet so far' for IPL & EPL legends

Harry Kane and Virat Kohli, perhaps two of the most unfortunate sportspersons with a plethora of talents. When Kane arrived at Tottenham Hotspur he looked destined for success but over the years his personal accomplishments haven't really managed to pull up his club from the ashes of agony. Similarly, Kohli's fate has seemingly long been sealed since the moment he joined Royal Challengers Bangalore at the inception of IPL.

Kane's Tottenham failed to mount a title challenge this time and if the current situation persists they might not even ply their trade in Europe next season. He has been a one-man army for the North London giants and perhaps relying on him too much has engulfed the club's ambition.

Despite Faf du Plessis being handed over the captaincy at the start of the season Virat remained the face of RCB and even captained the side in the absence of Du Plessis in a couple of matches. Virat's performance ahead of the World Test Championship would provide a major boost to the Indian Cricket Team but his uncanny similarities with the Tottenham Hotspur captain Kane could pose a threat to his IPL credentials.

Both Kane and Virat have been undisputed leaders in their respective fields and both could end their careers without a major trophy in their cabinet. Virat does have an ICC World Cup to his name but when it comes to the Indian Premier League it has been a disastrous 15 years for him.

The same goes for Kane who has never ceased to amaze with his goal-scoring skills but somewhere the lure of lifting the Premier League seems to have not worked in his favour. He would have had the chance to lay his hand on the coveted Premier League trophy as Manchester City did knock on his door with a reported offer of 100 million pounds. But Spurs chairman  Daniel Levy who is known for his tough stance on his transfers rejected the move in a bid to grind up more money.

The move failed to materialise and Kane remained in North London which paved the way towards uncertainty. The arrival of Erling Haaland at the Etihad Stadium would mean Pep Guardiola's door has now been shut for the 29-year-old.

Virat Kohli's loyalty to RCB cannot be questioned as the cricketer even stated publicly that he will only play in the IPL in RCB colours. But as he has entered the twilight of his career and perhaps the time has come to rethink his future as other IPL franchises would grab him at any given cost.

The 34-year-old again came up with a blinder of a knock when his team needed him the most. Against Gujarat Titans, he hit a magnificent 101 runs off just 61 balls which had some spellbound shots. But lack of support from his teammates didn't really help the cause as RCB got submerged into another dubious season. So despite Kohli's best efforts, RCB will again head home empty-handed from another IPL season.

Similarly, Kane's 28 goals don't really reflect his team's position and he needs to get on a new adventure to fulfil his dream. Inspite of being Tottenham's saviour and stalwart for many seasons, Kane has always fallen short of lifting a major trophy. The likes of Manchester United are reportedly interested in acquiring his service next season and the Red Devils could offer him the stage to flourish which has been missing for so many years.

There is no dishonour in keeping your wish at the forefront and both Virat and Kane may need to start doing what matters the most in their quest to win a trophy as time is running out pretty swiftly as it stands.