Hopefully, AB de Villiers will be back at RCB next year in some capacity: Kohli
New Delhi(PTI): Virat Kohli is hopeful that his friend and South African superstar AB de Villiers will be back at the Royal Challengers Bangalore in a new role next year.
De Villiers had been a big part of RCB family before he retired from all forms of cricket last year.
"I miss him a lot. I talk to him regularly. He was in the US recently with his family watching golf... He is keenly observing RCB and hopefully he will be here next year in some capacity," Kohli said during a light-hearted chat posted on RCB's Twitter handle.
Kohli is enduring one of the worst phases of his career, having scored 216 runs in 12 matches in the IPL with just one fifty.
He has also been dismissed for three golden ducks this season.
"It has never happened to me ever in my career I think, so I just smiled. I felt like I have seen everything that the game has to show," Kohli said.
His poor form has raised concerns with Ian Bishop pointing out Kohli's inability to score fluently in the IPL this season. The former West Indies pacer also said that it was a matter of concern that he is getting out to different types of bowlers.
However, Kohli said he doesn't pay heed to opinions and keeps critics at bay.
"They can't be in my shoes, they can't be in my shoes, they can't feel what I feel, they can't live those moment," the former India skipper said.
"You said how you cut the noise, you either mute the TV or don't pay attention to what people are saying and I do both of these things."
With Kohli stepping down from RCB captaincy, Faf du Plessis took over the reins and Kohli said he always enjoyed mutual respect for each other.
"Me and faf have always gotten along really well even before he was captain of South Africa. Faf is a guy who is sure of himself and he has full authority on the field," he said.
"He tells me sometimes, if I mention things, that he doesn't want to do that, which I respect a lot. That only makes you gain respect for the person you are playing under."
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Train to Kashmir: 22-bogie train's trial run successful on Katra-Srinagar line
Jammu: A 22-bogie train chugged between Katra and Srinagar railway stations on Sunday, officials said, marking the first successful trial run on the newly completed line to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country via rail.
The train, comprising 18 AC coaches, two luggage carriers and two engines, left the Katra railway station at around 8 am, successfully reaching its destination within four hours under the watchful eyes of the railway authorities, the officials said.
This was the first trial run between Katra and Srinagar, and came within six days after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Northern Circle) Dinesh Chand Deshwal authorised the opening of the newly constructed Broad Gauge line.
He had given the authorisation for the start of public carriage of goods and passenger traffic in a seven-page letter to the ministry and railway authorities, based on his detailed inspection of the track on January 7 and 8.
The CRS referred to his inspection of the newly constructed BG line between the Katra and Reasi section by a motor trolley and on foot, followed by a speed trial on the entire section from Katra to Banihal.
He had then authorised regular opening of the section for passengers and freight traffic at a maximum permissible speed of 85 Kmph on the main line and 15 Kmph on turnout.
The work on the dream project to link Kashmir by train was started in 1997 and it missed several deadlines given geological, topographical and meteorological challenges.
Out of the total 272 km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 209 km was commissioned in phases with the first phase of the 118 km Qazigund-Baramulla section commissioned in October 2009, followed by 18 km Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013, 25 km Udhampur-Katra in July 2014 and 48.1 km long Banihal-Sangaldan stretch in February, last year.
The work on the 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June last year, leaving a total of 17 km stretch between Reasi and Katra. And this section was finally completed in December 2024 as announced by the Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
On January 4, a successful trial run of an electric train was successfully conducted on the Katra-Banihal section. The railways has conducted six trials over the past month on various segments of the track, including the two major milestones of the Anji Khad and Chenab bridges.
Katra-Srinagar Rail Link: First 18-Coach Train Completes Trial Run Successfully pic.twitter.com/p68axcUClX
— Daily Excelsior (@DailyExcelsior1) January 19, 2025
