IPL 2023: Intensity skyrockets as Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj take each other on at M Chinnaswamy ahead of KKR clash

Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj geared up for Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday, April 26. With eight points, RCB are presently fifth on the IPL 2023 points table. Meanwhile, this will be a must-win contest for KKR as they are coming into the clash after suffering four consecutive defeats.

Ahead of the match, Kohli and Siraj squared off in the nets. The fast bowler beat the RCB's star batter twice. Kohli, on the other hand, had the last laugh as he went insane and took the attack to Siraj. 

On Wednesday, RCB took to Twitter and uploaded a one-minute video of Siraj bowling to Kohli. The 29-year-old fast bowler began by beating Kohli twice, once outside off and then leaving the former RCB skipper perplexed. Kohli, on the other hand, nodded his head in acknowledgment, and thereafter he went after the bowler full throttle.

He smashed some monster sixes, notably the legendary straight six he hit off Pakistan's Haris Rauf at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in October 2022. Kohli went completely insane, lining himself up and blasting lofted shots against the bowler. Meanwhile, in the end, Siraj admitted that he was bowling to one of the GOATs of the game.

Watch the video:

Royal Challengers Bangalore@RCBTweets

Virat vs Siraj in the nets was a high intense quality match up! Here’s how the duo prepared for this evening’s big clash against KKR. #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 #RCBvKKR

11:00 AM · Apr 26, 2023

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We all know what King Kohli is capable of when he is in form: Siraj

Siraj stated that the style in which he bowled to Kohli was the way in which he operates in powerplays. He also stated that if a ball is new, there would be some swing, adding everyone knows what Kohli is capable of when he is in form. He went on to say that the RCB batter smacked him all over Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium. 

"The way I operate in the Powerplay, I stuck to the same approach. When the ball is new, obviously there is some swing. After that, we all know what King Kohli is capable of when he is in form. He smashed me all over the Chinnaswamy," said Siraj.

Siraj has been RCB's leading bowler in the current IPL season, picking 13 wickets in seven matches, including 3/22 against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and 4/21 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Kohli, on the other side, has amassed 279 runs with four half-centuries and is ranking fifth on the IPL 2023 Orange Cap list.