With 741 runs from 15 matches, RCB opener Virat Kohli holds the Orange Cap for the IPL 2024 season. However, even that wasn’t enough to save RCB from getting eliminated. On Wednesday, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Rajasthan won the Royal battle and defeated Bengaluru by 4 wickets.
Kohli contributed a handy 33 runs, helping his side to reach a competitive total of 172 runs, but Rajasthan proved to be a better side on the night.
This season, in particular, Kohli wasn’t just about scoring runs but he was taking down the opposition bowlers disdainfully. His aggressive batting style has caught the eyes of the cricket pundits and fans. RCB needed a big inning from the big man in the Eliminator. Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be.
Kohli’s batting has been flawless this season, but the one area though, where his performance has taken a beating in the IPL is the knockouts. He has been playing the IPL from the start in 2008 for RCB.
However, for the past eight seasons, his bat has remained silent in the knockouts.
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Virat Kohli in Knockout Matches in IPL
| Season | Opponent | Stage | Score | Result |
| 2009 | Chennai Super Kings | 2nd Semi-Final | 24*(17) | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2009 | Deccan Chargers | Final | 7(8) | Lost by 6 runs |
| 2010 | Mumbai Indians | 1st Semifinal | 9(7) | Lost by 35 runs |
| 2010 | Deccan Chargers | 3rd Place Playoff | DNB | Won by 9 wickets |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | Qualifier 1 | 70*(44) | Lost by 6 wickets |
| 2011 | Mumbai Indians | Qualifier 2 | 8(12) | Won by 43 runs |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | Final | 35(32) | Lost by 58 runs |
| 2015 | Rajasthan Royals | Eliminator | 12(18) | Won by 71 runs |
| 2015 | Chennai Super Kings | Qualifier 2 | 12(9) | Lost by 3 wickets |
| 2016 | Gujarat Lions | Qualifier 1 | 0(2) | Won by 4 wickets |
| 2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Final | 54(35) | Lost by 8 runs |
| 2020 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eliminator | 6(7) | Lost by 6 wickets |
| 2022 | Lucknow Super Giants | Eliminator | 25(24) | Won by 14 runs |
| 2022 | Rajasthan Royals | Qualifier 2 | 7(8) | Lost by 7 wickets |
| 2024 | Rajasthan Royals | Eliminator | 33(24) | Lost by 4 wickets |
Coincidentally, the last time Virat Kohli was in a knockout game in the IPL, was against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022 season. RCB lost the match by 7 wickets, and Kohli had a poor game with the bat. This time also, Kohli did marginally better with the bat, but RCB failed to stay alive in the tournament.
Virat Kohli’s failure with the bat at the top of the order has been one of the major reasons behind RCB not winning the IPL title, for 17 seasons now. RCB is often called the chokers of the IPL, and against Rajasthan in Ahmedabad, the Red Army lived up to its reputation.
