RR vs RCB: "When I bid for Virat Kohli..." - Vijay Mallya makes a prediction on RCB's chances in IPL 2024

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) owner Vijay Mallya reminisced about how he bid for Virat Kohli before the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. Vijay Mallya also extended his wishes for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's success in their upcoming match in the playoffs.

Vijay Mallya bought the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise for $111.6 million before the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008. This acquisition was the second-highest bid, with Reliance Industries securing the highest bid of $111.9 million for the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise.

Vijay Mallya was the owner of Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd (RCSPL), the parent company of RCB. However, Mallya relinquished his role as the primary owner of the RCB franchise when he stepped down as the director of RCSPL in 2016. United Spirits Limited, a Diageo Group company, owns RCB.

I Could Not Have Made Better Choices - Vijay Mallya

Vijay Mallya stated that he could not have made a better choice almost 17 years ago when he acquired the RCB franchise and bid for Virat Kohli. Mallya highlighted that RCB has the best chance of winning the IPL trophy this year.

“When I bid for the RCB franchise and I bid for Virat, my inner instinct told me that I could not have made better choices. My inner instinct tells me that RCB have the best chance to go for the IPL Trophy. Onward and Upward. Best of luck,” Mallaya posted on X (formerly Twitter).

When I bid for the RCB franchise and I bid for Virat, my inner instinct told me that I could not have made better choices. My inner instinct tells me that RCB have the best chance to go for the IPL Trophy. Onward and Upward. Best of luck.

— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) May 21, 2024

Virat Kohli has been with RCB since the IPL's inception in 2008. He has emerged as their most valuable player. He holds the record for the most runs scored in IPL history. Kohli led RCB to the final in 2016, where he scored 973 runs. However, the Bengaluru team failed to clinch the title in 2016.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru To Face Rajasthan Royals On May 22

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are just a few wins away from securing a spot in the IPL 2024 final. They were on the brink of elimination a month ago after enduring six consecutive defeats. However, they bounced back from the bottom of the standings to secure a top-four finish in the tournament.

The Faf du Plessis-led team secured six consecutive victories to secure a playoff berth. The RCB team will face the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the "Eliminator" match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, May 22. They will advance to Qualifier 2 if they win the Eliminator match.

The Sanju Samson-led team lost four out of their last five matches, and their last match before the playoffs was affected by rain. The Rajasthan Royals will be without star opener Jos Buttler at the top of the order, as he has returned to England to prepare for the upcoming T20 series against Pakistan.

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