Kohli takes blame for dropping Rahul twice, says time to move on after heavy loss
Dubai: Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli took the blame for his team's 97-run thrashing by Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League here.
Without hesitation, Kohli took the blame for dropping Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul twice, which contributed significantly to their defeat on Thursday.
Kohli felt had he not dropped two catches off the blade of Rahul, who remained unbeaten on 132, KXIP would not have been able to go past the 200-run mark.
"I have to stand in front and take the brunt of it, not the best day in the office, couple of important chances of KL when he was set and that cost us 35-40 runs at a later stage.
"Maybe if we restricted them to 180 we wouldn't have been under pressure from ball one of the chase," said Kohli at the post-match presentation.
KXIP posted 206 for three and RCB were bundled out for 109 in 17 overs.
"We know exactly where we went wrong and I have to put my hand up and say a couple of important chances went down. There are days when these kind of things happen on the cricket field, they happen and we have to accept them.
"We have had a good game (against Sunrisers Hyderabad), we have had a bad game and now it is time to move on and learn from the mistakes we made," said Kohli.
On sending the young Josh Philippe ahead of himself at number 3, Kohli said: "He has batted at the top of the order for Western Australia and done well in the BBL as well, early days in the tournament so we thought we will maximise his ability and see how we go from there on. We thought we will give ourselves a bit of depth in the middle overs."
The Australian wicketkeeper-batsman had batted in the middle-order in RCB's first game against Sunrisers.
RCB next play defending champions Mumbai Indians here on September 28.
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Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana to contest bypoll from Gandey assembly seat
Ranchi, April 25: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Thursday announced that Kalpana Soren, wife of jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren, will contest the bypoll from Gandey assembly seat.
The seat in Giridih district fell vacant following the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad.
Bypoll to Gandey assembly seat is scheduled on May 20 along with the parliamentary elections in the state.
The party also announced the candidature of Samir Mohanty, the sitting MLA from Baharagora, from Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat.
Kalpana had embarked on a political journey at the 51st foundation day celebration of JMM in Giridih district on March 4, claiming that a conspiracy had been orchestrated by opponents ever since the Hemant Soren coalition government came to power in 2019.
Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud, subsequent to his resignation as CM.
After the ruling JMM-led alliance proved its majority on February 5 and her husband made a fiery speech in the assembly, Kalpana had taken to X to announce that the "fight against injustice and oppression will continue".
Previously considered a frontrunner for the position of chief minister but facing opposition from Sita Soren, she declared, "I have fought, and I will continue to fight! We have won, and we will win!"
A homemaker with MTech and MBA qualifications, Kalpana completed her education in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district and obtained her engineering and MBA degrees in Bhubaneswar.
Hemant's arrest had sparked speculation that Kalpana would assume leadership. However, a family rift emerged, with his sister-in-law, Sita Soren, openly opposing any move to make Kalpana the chief minister.
Sita questioned Kalpana's political inexperience and objected to her potential candidacy, dismissing it as BJP propaganda. Hemant dismissed speculations of Kalpana contesting from Gandey, labeling it as BJP's fabrication.
Speculations regarding Kalpana's candidacy arose following the resignation of ruling JMM's Gandey MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad in December, with the BJP claiming it was to facilitate Kalpana's candidacy in case of ED summonses.
