Ambati Rayudu subtly criticizes Virat Kohli, suggesting that individual achievements like winning the Orange Cap don’t guarantee success in securing the IPL trophy.

(PTI Photo)

In the context of IPL 2024, Ambati Rayudu has once more subtly criticized Virat Kohli and the RCB team. He emphasized that merely winning the Orange Cap, which Kohli achieved for the second time in IPL history, does not guarantee a team’s victory in clinching the trophy.

Ambati Rayudu subtly jabbed at Virat Kohli and the RCB team following Kohli’s attainment of the Orange Cap in IPL 2024. Rayudu’s comments were made in the aftermath of KKR’s dominant victory over SRH, securing the IPL 2024 title at the M Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26, Sunday. Notably, Kohli secured the Orange Cap for the second time in IPL history, joining the exclusive ranks of Chris Gayle and David Warner as the only players to achieve this feat more than once.

During the post-final celebrations, Ambati Rayudu emphasized to the broadcasters that individual honors such as the Orange Cap are not sufficient to secure an IPL title for a franchise; rather, it requires a unified effort from the entire team. He commended the KKR squad for their cohesive performance across all departments, which ultimately led to their victory in lifting the trophy.

“Congratulations to the KKR team for really standing up for stalwarts like Narine, Russell, and Starc, and also contributing their share in the team’s win. That’s how a team wins the IPL. We have seen this over the years. It’s not the Orange Cap that wins you the IPL but it is the contributions like 300 runs each or 400 each,” Rayudu said.

Kohli’s performance in IPL 2024 was outstanding, earning him the Orange Cap for his remarkable achievement of scoring 741 runs in 15 matches. His impressive tally included a century and five half-centuries, with an impressive average of 61.75 and a strike rate exceeding 154. Despite Kohli’s stellar contributions, RCB once again fell short of claiming the coveted title, marking their 17th unsuccessful attempt.

This isn’t the first instance of Rayudu expressing criticism towards RCB and Kohli. Following RCB’s elimination from IPL 2024 after a defeat in the Eliminator match against RR, Rayudu took to ‘X’ to highlight that prioritizing individual milestones over the team’s objectives had impeded their success.

“My heart truly goes out to all the RCB supporters who have passionately supported the team over the years. If only the management and the leaders had the team’s interests ahead of individual milestones.. rcb would have won multiple titles. Just remember how many fantastic players have been let go. Force your management to bring players who will put the team’s interests first. A great new chapter can start from the mega auction,” Rayudu wrote.