The China Mail - Ecstatic Kohli revels in first IPL title, albeit below Test highs

USD -
AED 3.672865
AFN 69.473564
ALL 85.808956
AMD 383.522789
ANG 1.789679
AOA 917.000119
ARS 1185.224103
AUD 1.536193
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.702943
BAM 1.712205
BBD 2.019286
BDT 122.228691
BGN 1.712605
BHD 0.376919
BIF 2977.313415
BMD 1
BND 1.284771
BOB 6.910589
BRL 5.6253
BSD 1.000188
BTN 85.742424
BWP 13.352826
BYN 3.272944
BYR 19600
BZD 2.008921
CAD 1.365845
CDF 2879.999853
CHF 0.819598
CLF 0.024329
CLP 933.60029
CNY 7.182965
CNH 7.17981
COP 4109.08
CRC 508.993176
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 96.531468
CZK 21.718197
DJF 178.096043
DKK 6.529202
DOP 59.057065
DZD 131.443195
EGP 49.670496
ERN 15
ETB 136.401224
EUR 0.87534
FJD 2.245196
FKP 0.737089
GBP 0.736895
GEL 2.745009
GGP 0.737089
GHS 10.231943
GIP 0.737089
GMD 69.999766
GNF 8668.703546
GTQ 7.685473
GYD 209.549989
HKD 7.84687
HNL 26.080524
HRK 6.594899
HTG 130.851758
HUF 353.249989
IDR 16255.6
ILS 3.487805
IMP 0.737089
INR 85.82735
IQD 1310.180909
IRR 42125.00024
ISK 126.390338
JEP 0.737089
JMD 159.480683
JOD 0.709025
JPY 143.265004
KES 129.219995
KGS 87.449927
KHR 4011.187905
KMF 431.000413
KPW 899.997822
KRW 1357.390454
KWD 0.30625
KYD 0.833403
KZT 510.196489
LAK 21600.18559
LBP 89613.719628
LKR 299.175789
LRD 199.517642
LSL 17.752575
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 5.445298
MAD 9.158693
MDL 17.266842
MGA 4534.690823
MKD 53.838751
MMK 2099.735493
MNT 3578.436324
MOP 8.083655
MRU 39.533041
MUR 45.540096
MVR 15.404971
MWK 1734.212842
MXN 19.222015
MYR 4.230207
MZN 64.009824
NAD 17.752808
NGN 1568.119859
NIO 36.803747
NOK 10.090145
NPR 137.193534
NZD 1.653644
OMR 0.384435
PAB 1.000083
PEN 3.615105
PGK 4.171518
PHP 55.602023
PKR 282.126577
PLN 3.74968
PYG 7987.603631
QAR 3.645898
RON 4.417969
RSD 102.562962
RUB 79.296879
RWF 1416.171688
SAR 3.750711
SBD 8.343939
SCR 14.780154
SDG 600.504811
SEK 9.578955
SGD 1.28472
SHP 0.785843
SLE 22.720088
SLL 20969.500214
SOS 571.588656
SRD 37.049813
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.750996
SYP 13002.272889
SZL 17.748226
THB 32.5025
TJS 9.890966
TMT 3.5
TND 2.976267
TOP 2.342104
TRY 39.335755
TTD 6.768191
TWD 29.922503
TZS 2683.204018
UAH 41.440728
UGX 3629.567052
UYU 41.627636
UZS 12833.049545
VES 97.90805
VND 26075
VUV 120.835907
WST 2.757096
XAF 574.239805
XAG 0.027947
XAU 0.000295
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.716787
XOF 574.2574
XPF 104.404768
YER 243.849918
ZAR 17.749385
ZMK 9001.20468
ZMW 26.077098
ZWL 321.999592
  • CMSC

    0.0380

    22.268

    +0.17%

  • RBGPF

    1.5000

    69

    +2.17%

  • RIO

    1.2500

    59.79

    +2.09%

  • SCS

    -0.0350

    10.335

    -0.34%

  • BP

    0.1700

    29.09

    +0.58%

  • AZN

    -0.2600

    72.74

    -0.36%

  • GSK

    0.5850

    41.385

    +1.41%

  • NGG

    0.0650

    71.115

    +0.09%

  • RELX

    -0.2000

    54.155

    -0.37%

  • BTI

    1.3550

    47.53

    +2.85%

  • RYCEF

    -0.1700

    11.98

    -1.42%

  • CMSD

    0.1089

    22.34

    +0.49%

  • BCE

    0.0250

    22

    +0.11%

  • BCC

    -0.3100

    87.19

    -0.36%

  • JRI

    0.0000

    12.96

    0%

  • VOD

    -0.0750

    10.185

    -0.74%

Ecstatic Kohli revels in first IPL title, albeit below Test highs
Ecstatic Kohli revels in first IPL title, albeit below Test highs / Photo: © AFP

Ecstatic Kohli revels in first IPL title, albeit below Test highs

Virat Kohli said on Tuesday he had given his "youth and prime" to land one of the best moments of his career as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured him a first-ever Indian Premier League T20 title at the 18th time of asking.

Text size:

The 36-year-old Kohli, however, confessed that the six-run win over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad, sweet as it was, ranked "five levels below Test cricket".

The former India captain, who announced his retirement from Test cricket last month, top-scored with 43 as Bengaluru posted 190-9 in the final.

It was not his most fluent innings, but it was vital for RCB as their bowlers then restricted Punjab to 184-7 with a crowd of more than 91,000 erupting in joy for their superstar.

A teary-eyed Kohli, who has played in all 18 of RCB's campaigns including the three previous finals that they lost, dropped to the ground before being hugged by his teammates.

"I've given this team my youth, my prime, my experience. I gave it everything I have. I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled," said Kohli before launching into an impassioned defence of the oldest and longest format of the game.

"This moment is right up there with the best moments in my career. But it still ranks five levels below Test cricket. That's how much I value Test cricket. And that's how much I love Test cricket.

"So I would just urge the youngsters coming through... if you want to earn respect in world cricket all over, take up Test cricket, give your heart and soul to it."

Punjab head coach Ricky Ponting said: "I totally understand what he (Kohli) means".

Two-time World Cup winner Kohli has now walked away from two international formats after he gave up T20s following India's World Cup triumph last year.

One of the all-time greats across all formats of the game, Kohli has always been the perfect poster boy of the five-day game with his prolific run-scoring and on-field passion in whites.

'King Kohli' ended his Test career with 9,230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85.

In the IPL, Kohli joined Bengaluru at the start of lucrative league in 2008 and stuck with them after the disappointment of losing side the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016.

Kohli remained a key player for his team this season with 657 runs including eight half-centuries in 15 innings, often playing the anchor after opening the batting.

"Tonight I'll sleep like a baby," said Kohli, who hinted that a full retirement may not be far off.

"I have an opportunity to play this game for not many years, there's an end-date to our career.

"And by the time I hang up my boots, I want to sit at home and say I gave it everything I had."

J.Liv--ThChM