April 6, 2025: As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 heats up, senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are entering the twilight stages of their careers. After retiring from T20Is following India’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in Barbados, both players continue to feature prominently in the IPL. With the much-anticipated clash between five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) looming, Kohli shared insights on his enduring relationship with Rohit.
Speaking ahead of the match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Kohli reflected on their 15-year journey, how their careers have evolved, and the strong bond they’ve built over the years. “I think it’s a very natural thing to take place when you play with someone for so long, sharing so many insights about the game. Initially, you’re learning from each other, growing in your careers probably at the same time, and sharing all kinds of questions and queries. There’s a lot of back-and-forth that happens,” Kohli said in a video.
He went on to emphasize the trust they’ve developed over the years, particularly through their leadership roles. “There’s a trust factor that builds, where you rely on each other to do the job for the team. We’ve definitely enjoyed our time playing together for so long for India. We were able to make our careers that long because when we were young, it wasn’t certain we would end up playing for 15 years,” Kohli added, expressing gratitude for the memories they’ve created together.
As the two teams gear up for another thrilling contest, RCB find themselves in a strong position on the IPL 2025 points table, sitting second with two wins from three games. In contrast, MI are struggling at eighth, with just one win from their opening four games.
Historically, MI have had the upper hand in their head-to-head with RCB, having won 19 of the 33 encounters between the sides. However, in their last meeting, MI emerged victorious by seven wickets.
Big Boost for MI: Bumrah Cleared to Play
In positive news for MI, pace-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been cleared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to join the MI camp. There is a possibility that Bumrah may take the field against RCB, offering a significant boost to MI’s bowling attack. However, there remains a question mark over the availability of Rohit Sharma, who is recovering from a knee injury.
If Rohit plays against RCB, he will have a chance to surpass Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni as the top run-scorer against RCB. Dhoni currently holds the record with 894 runs, followed by David Warner (862 runs). Rohit Sharma is third on the list with 831 runs, including seven half-centuries against RCB.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is the third-highest run-scorer against MI, with 855 runs, including five fifties. The top two spots are held by KL Rahul (950 runs) and Shikhar Dhawan (901 runs).
With both teams facing critical moments in the IPL 2025 season, the clash between MI and RCB is set to be a thrilling encounter.