Former Indian cricket team Ambati Rayudu once again courted controversy after his comments on Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru following the IPL 2024 final. After Kolkata Knight Riders’ victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024 final, Rayudu said that Virat’s consistency may become a burden for the side despite the star India batter emerging as the highest run-scorer in the competition. During an analysis on Star Sports, Rayudu praised Kohli for setting high standards before pointing out that players like Rajat Patidar may find it difficult to replicate such performances.

Here’s the conversation between Ambati Rayudu, Kevin Pietersen and Mayanti Langer –

Rayudu: When you have a stalwart and a legend like Virat Kohli, who has set really high standards, it’s very hard for the youngsters to be in a side like that and try and match his standard because he always wants the team to be performing at his level.

Pietersen: No, it should be good for youngsters…

Rayudu: But sometimes the burden of really trying to be Virat Kohli in a sport where you know nobody is going to be like him.

Mayanti Langer: But didn’t Patidar step up to the plate?

“Patidar can only be a Patidar but not a Virat Kohli, and I think RCB, as a management, understands that you cannot have 11 Virat Kohli in the team. You need to have 1 Virat Kohli with 10 others being themselves, having their own identities and strengths and weaknesses. And you need to use them well in terms of resources,” Rayudu said.

Rayudu was speaking sh*t about Virat Kohli again and got clowned by KP, Haydos and Mayanti collectively!

Bro literally forgot ECB and Cricket AUS are Virat’s biggest PRs! pic.twitter.com/R6sd07SFre

— Agnik (@lordkohli18) May 27, 2024

“You can’t expect somebody to win the game in the first season. You need to give him that leeway and time to grow into a match-winner. So I think the management has its task out, and even Virat Kohli needs to ease his standards a bit when it comes to youngsters, nurturing them, and letting them go.”

As Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinched the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 title, former Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indian batter Ambati Rayudu found another reason to take as swipe at Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Rayudu, who has been trolling the Bengaluru franchise relentlessly since their IPL 2024 exit, took a fresh swipe, saying it’s not the Orange Cap that wins a team the title but collective performances. It was Virat who raced away with the top-scorer’s title this year, aggregating over 700 runs bus his team was knocked out in the Eliminator by Rajasthan Royals.

“Congratulations to the KKR team for really standing up for stalwarts like Narine, Russell and Starc and also contribute 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 (of many players),” Rayudu said in a chat on Star Sports.

“It’s not the orange cap that wins you ipl” pic.twitter.com/7bW16z29k3

— Manojkumar (@Manojkumar_099) May 26, 2024

Rayudu even suggested that Virat should lower his standards as other batters in the team feel pressured string to match the contributions of the India great.

“Virat Kohli is a stalwart and a legend there in the team. He sets so high standards which puts pressure on the youngsters to emulate him. So, Virat needs to lower his standards a bit so that the youngsters can be in a good state of mind in the dressing room,” Rayudu stressed.

Even a few days ago, Rayudu called out the poor management by RCB’s bosses, saying they prefer individual milestones over team titles. Such an approach by the management is the reason why RCB haven’t won a title in 17 seasons, stressed Rayudu.

“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 teams interests ahead of individual milestones .. rcb would have won multiple titles. Just remember how many fantastic players have been let go off. Force your management to bring players who will put teams interests first. A great new chapter can start from the mega auction,” Rayudu had said in a post on social media.

While Kohli has been consistently delivering runs to RCB over the years, he hasn’t enjoyed the required support from the other end of the pitch. Even the franchise’s bowling department has historically struggled to produce consistency.

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu has been in the news since Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were eliminated from the IPL 2024. Rayudu hasn’t shied away from taking shots at the Faf du Plessis-led franchise, be it on the mic as an expert with the IPL broadcaster or on social media. On Friday, however, Rayudu issued a clarification, saying he has nothing against RCB fans who have passionately supported the team but it’s the management who needs a course correction.

Rayudu, in a fiery post on social media, said that the Bengaluru franchise would’ve won multiple titles by now if the management had put “the team’s interests ahead of individual milestones”

“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 teams interests ahead of individual milestones .. rcb would have won multiple titles. Just remember how many fantastic players have been let go off. Force your management to bring players who will put teams interests first. A great new chapter can start from the mega auction,” Rayudu wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

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 teams interests ahead of individual milestones .. rcb would have won multiple titles. Just remember how many fantastic players…

— ATR (@RayuduAmbati) May 24, 2024

After RCB were knocked out from the IPL in the Eliminator match against Rajasthan Royals, Raydu had trolled the franchise saying only passion and celebration doesn’t win you the title.

“If you talk about RCB, it shows that only passion and celebration don’t win you trophies. You don’t get the IPL trophy just by reaching the playoffs. Don’t think you will win the trophy just by beating CSK,” Rayudu had said.

Later the former India cricketer also shared a post on social media, reminding RCB and its fans that CSK have won 5 titles in the IPL.

Former India, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu has mocked Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with an Instagram post following their playoff exit from the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) ongoing season on Wednesday. RCB suffered a four-wicket loss against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator encounter at Narendra Modi Stadium to end their six-match winning campaign in the season. Taking to Instagram, Rayudu shared a video of Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali and Devon Conway enjoying their last year’s IPL title indicating five with their hands. He captioned the post, “Just a kind reminder from the 5-time champions. Sometimes a gentle reminder is required”.

His post came after RCB’s defeat against Rajasthan Royals as the former knocked out CSK from the tournament following their 27-run win over the defending champion in Bengaluru last week. After the win against CSK, Rayudu said that RCB couldn’t win the IPL title just by beating them and had to play with the hunger.

“If you talk about RCB today, it shows that only passion and aggressive celebrations don’t win you trophies. You need to plan. You didn’t get the IPL trophy just by reaching the playoffs. You have to play with the same hunger,” Rayudu had said.

“Don’t think you will win the IPL trophy just by beating CSK. You will have to come next year once again,” he had added.

RCB had a bitter-sweet campaign in the season as they overcame their sloppy start to qualify for the playoffs at the back of six consecutive wins but failed to go ahead of the Eliminator obstacle. Other than Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar, no batter managed to leave a positive mark while the bowling unit looked all over the place.

In Qualifier 2 of the IPL, Rajasthan Royals will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru registered a massive victory over Chennai Super Kings to become the fourth team to book their spot in the IPL 2024 playoffs. RCB went into the match with a win needed to guarantee their Top 4 spot and the Faf Du Plessis-led side was able to clinch the game by 27 runs. Celebrations erupted in the stadium right after the victory with the players also taking part in them to the extent that MS Dhoni left without shaking hands after waiting for some time. Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu trolled RCB’s celebrations and joked that CSK should give them one of their trophies.

“RCB have already won the IPL. The way they celebrated last night. There are on their way and the whole streets of Bengaluru is filled with RCB fans,” Rayudu said on Star Sports.

Rayudu’s former teammate Varun Aaron came up with a hilarious taunt.

“Just pure CSK. Just not able to digest the fact that they have lost,” Aaron interjected.

However, Rayudu continued to speak about RCB’s celebrations after the match.

“CSK should give one of their trophies to RCB and they can parade it around Bengaluru,” he countered.

“He’s just not able to digest the fact that RCB knocked out CSK,” Aaron replied.

Ambati Rayudu – RCB should win the IPL. We saw what was the reaction in the streets of Bengaluru, in fact CSK should give one of their trophies to RCB

He also wants RCB to lose against SRH in Eliminator

Varun Aaron – he’s just not able to digest the fact that RCB knocked out CSK pic.twitter.com/lZdBePSzPf

— Sachin (@Sachin_1_0) May 19, 2024

Meanwhile, RCB captain Faf Du Plessis dedicated his Man of the Match award to pacer Yash Dayal.

“I dedicate this Man of the Match to Yash Dayal. The way he bowled was unbelievable. For a man who’s fairly new, he deserves it. [on what he told Dayal before the last over] Pace off is the best option on this pitch and trust your skills and enjoy, this is what you trained for. The yorker did not work the 1st ball and he went back to pace off and it worked unbelievably well,” Faf said after the match.