Mumbai: Virat Kohli is a popular cricketer not just because of his game but also because off his off-the-field personality. Kohli always stands for his mates and has done it time and again. And Thursday night was no different. Kohli asked the Wankhede crowd to stop booing their captain Hardik Pandya. The crowd obliged and started rooting for the MI captain. During the match, former India coach Ravi Shastri, who was on commentary, reckoned Rohit Sharma should have done what Kohli is doing now.

“Virat Kohli is doing what rohit sharma should have done openly by now,” Shastri said on-air.

Earlier, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav struck whirlwind fifties as Mumbai Indians recorded their second win in IPL 2024 by beating Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets. Chasing 197, Mumbai Indians started with 70-plus runs inside the powerplay to eventually win the game in 15.3 overs. Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah took a five-wicket haul to enter the record books. Dinesh Karthik scored a 23-ball 53 to power RCB to 196/3 in 20 overs.

“Always good to win. The way we have won – it’s quite impressive. Impact player has given the opportunity to use an extra bowler if we require. It gives me a cushion as well. The way Ro and Kishan batted, giving the platform, it was important for us to finish it early. We didn’t speak about it. That’s the beauty of this team, players know what to do,” Pandya said after the win.

RCB play their next match against SRH on April 15. And they would be desperate to win that match and stay in the hunt for a playoff finish.