'The 9th IPL team?' - Fans feel Rising Pune Supergiant as the new team for 2020 season

Among all the franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) that are now defunct, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) are perhaps the best remembered. The franchise, the second to represent Pune after the Pune Warriors India, played two editions of the IPL — 2016 and 2017 — and was led by former India captain MS Dhoni in the first. In the 2017 edition, the RPS made it to the final under the captaincy of Steve Smith but lost the title clash to the Mumbai Indians by a solitary run. On Friday, the RPS was alive in public memory.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday tweeted praising a shot played by India captain Virat Kohli in the second Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata, calling it “James Bond-esque”. Kohli is also the captain of the RCB in the IPL for the last seven years and led them to the final in 2016 where they lost to the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

James Bond-esque shot to the boundary by #KingKohli! #PlayBold #INDvBAN #PinkBallTest

— Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) November 22, 2019

It was then when a response came to the RCB’s tweet from the RPS’ official account and seconding the praise for Kohli, it said, “Rinse. Repeat”.

Rinse. Repeat.

— RisingPuneSupergiant (@RPSupergiants) November 22, 2019

The fans were astonished to see a tweet coming from a franchise that is now defunct and last tweeted in October 2017 to praise India over their 4-1 win over Australia in an ODI series at home. The RPS played in the IPL two years when the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals served a ban.

Meanwhile, Kohli, who failed to score in the game against Indore, slammed a hundred to pile on the runs against a hapless Bangladesh side. He also became the first Indian batsman to score a century in a day-night Test and it was his 27th in the longer format and the 70th overall.

Sachin Tendulkar has the most number of international hundreds — 100 — to his name. Resuming on their overnight score of 174 for 3, India extended their lead to 151 runs in the first session of the second day with six wickets in hand. Kohli lost his deputy Ajinkya Rahane who made 51 and added 99 runs for the fourth wicket with his skipper.

Here are some of the reactions to the defunct IPL team’s tweet

OMG!!! The account has tweeted. Is it a sign ????

— Kartik O (@KOCricket528) November 22, 2019

So
RCB will prompted from 8th position to 9th position in points table

Oh demoted 😂😂😂

— Rocky (@AussieFan_) November 22, 2019

9th IPL team!!!!

— Rocky (@AussieFan_) November 22, 2019

What r u doing in twitter 🤔🧐.. playing IPL this yr as 9th team😵

— subham (@skhaitan20) November 22, 2019

9th team fixed 😊

— Heisenberg (@RitwikBittu) November 22, 2019

After long days account is activated

— DïÑê$h (@DineshKamaraJ07) November 22, 2019

9th Ipl team!!!!!!!!!!!!

— Aabhash (@Iam_Aabhash) November 22, 2019

Is cricket coming back to Pune Lads?

— Suyash Thite (@FoodnFooty) November 22, 2019