Kohli couldn't match high standards he has set with bat: Gavaskar on RCB exit
Dubai: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has partly attributed the Royal Challengers Bangalore's failure to go all the way in the 13th IPL to captain Virat Kohli's inability to live up to his high standards with the bat.
RCB were knocked out of the tournament after losing by six wickets to former champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
"Looking at the high standards that he sets for himself, maybe he would say he didn't quite match that and that's one of the reasons why RCB weren't able to go through," Gavaskar told broadcaster Star Sports.
"...Because when he scores those big runs along with AB de Villiers, they invariably have big scores."
Kohli made a little over 450 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 121.35 and his team often struggled to get going in the middle-overs. The batting legend pointed out that the RCB's bowling lacked enough firepower to consistently challenge the opposition and prevail.
"If anything, their bowling has always been their weak point. Even now, in this particular team, they have got an Aaron Finch, who is a fine T20 player, young Devdutt Padikkal, who began well and then Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, then you have really got it made," he added.
Gavaskar also believed that the RCB must find a player who can play the role of the finisher and suggested that Shivam Dube can fit into that role.
"I think where they need to do a little bit of thinking is give Shivam Dube a proper role. Dube has gone down and Sundar has gone up and down.
"If he can be given a role, and told to go out there and thrash the ball, it might help him. He is confused now. If they can get a solid player at No. 5, then it will ease the pressure of de Villiers and Virat," remarked Gavaskar.
The defeat against SRH was RCB's fifth on the trot as they lost the plot after a strong start during which they had won seven out of 10 matches.
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Mamata asks TMC nominees not to leave counting centres as EC data shows BJP leading
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged TMC candidates and agents to remain vigilant and not to leave counting centres, alleging that there was a "game plan" by the BJP and the Election Commission to show the saffron party taking a lead in the early trends of counting.
In a video message issued during the counting of votes, the TMC supremo appealed to party workers to stay put and not to lose morale.
"I appeal to everyone that neither TMC candidates nor counting agents should abandon counting centres," she said.
As trends on the Election Commission website indicated the BJP leading in 188 seats against the TMC's 94, Banerjee maintained that her party was still ahead in a significant number of constituencies.
"We are still ahead in 170 seats, but I request everyone not to lose hope," she said, adding that there were "around 70 to 100 seats where we are leading, but they are not sharing the data of those seats".
"A false narrative is being spread," she alleged.
The chief minister accused the Election Commission of "not declaring results or leads" in areas where the TMC was ahead.
"This is a game plan by the EC and the BJP as it (poll panel) is not declaring results or leads in areas where we are leading," she said.
Banerjee also alleged irregularities in the counting process at some locations.
"In several places, counting has been stopped after the first two to three rounds. In Kalyani, we have caught seven machines with severe anomalies," she claimed.
She further alleged that TMC workers were being "harassed with the help of central forces" and that party offices were being "vandalised and forcefully captured".
"With the help of central forces, they are harassing and torturing AITC workers. Our offices have been vandalised," she said, also alleging that voter list revision exercises were "purposefully done to target seats where we were strong".
Seeking to reassure party workers, Banerjee said more rounds of counting were yet to take place and urged them to stay firm.
"Fourteen to eighteen rounds of counting will happen. You will surely emerge victorious. Don't be afraid; fight like tigers," she said.
Her remarks came as counting trends suggested that the BJP was leading in 188 seats and had crossed the halfway mark of 148 in the 294-member assembly, pointing to a potential shift in the state's political landscape.
Counting for 293 constituencies was underway with postal ballots, followed by EVM votes.
Officials cautioned that trends could change as more rounds are counted, and final results would be known later in the day.
জরুরি বার্তা pic.twitter.com/Uc82oihwEL
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 4, 2026
