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[Saba Sports News] Smriti Mandhana guided Royal Challengers Bangalore to their inaugural title victory, triumphing over Delhi Capitals in the finals of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 on March 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Despite being hailed for her batting prowess and leadership skills, Mandhana disapproved of comparisons to the iconic Virat Kohli. Kohli, a legend in Indian cricket, has captained Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inception in 2008 and holds the record for the highest run scorer in the tournament’s history. However, the IPL title has remained elusive for him.
Mandhana emphasized Kohli’s inspirational stature and expressed respect for his achievements, stressing that the comparison is unwarranted given the disparity in their careers. She acknowledged Kohli’s significant contributions to Indian cricket and maintained that titles don’t define a player’s legacy.
“Title is one thing, but the other No.18 has achieved a lot for India and that is a big thing. So, I don’t think the comparison is right in terms of where my career is and what he has already achieved,” Mandhana shared. “I don’t like being compared because what he has achieved has been great; he has been an inspirational person. The title doesn’t define a lot of things. We all respect him and I feel like the respect in Indian cricket has to be right up there for Virat.”
Regarding the shared jersey number, Mandhana clarified that it’s merely a personal choice and doesn’t influence their respective playing styles or approaches to the game.
“So, there’s nothing different for me. I would not really term it as 18 and 18. Jersey number is just a personal choice, and it doesn’t define how he plays his cricket and how I play mine,” Mandhana added.
Meanwhile, Kohli has rejoined the RCB squad for IPL 2024 after opting out of the India-England Test series due to personal reasons and welcoming his second child, Aakay Kohli.
Fans anticipate Kohli’s return to form after a stellar season last year, where he emerged as the fourth-highest run scorer with an impressive average. RCB kicks off their IPL campaign on March 22 against Chennai Super Kings, with hopes of clinching their maiden title under Kohli’s leadership.