“It’s not the Orange Cap that wins you the IPL,” Ambati Rayudu takes a sly dig at Virat Kohli

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season was a rollercoaster ride, filled with thrilling matches, outstanding individual performances, and, of course, controversies. One such controversy involved Ambati Rayudu, the former Indian international cricketer, taking a sly dig at Virat Kohli, the icon of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Ambati Rayudu’s comments on Virat Kohli’s Orange Cap

Rayudu’s comments came after Kohli won the Orange Cap for scoring the highest runs in the IPL 2024 season. Despite Kohli’s individual brilliance, RCB failed to clinch the IPL trophy, marking their 17th unsuccessful attempt.

In a post-match interview, Rayudu pointed out that an Orange Cap cannot make a team win the IPL trophy. He emphasized that it takes a collective effort from the team to win the title. He lauded the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the champions of IPL 2024, for their collective effort and for backing their senior players.

“Congratulations to the KKR team for really standing up for stalwarts like Narine, Russell, and Starc, and also contributing their share in the team’s win. That’s how a team wins the IPL. We have seen this over the years. It’s not the Orange Cap that wins you the IPL but it is the contributions like 300 runs each or 400 each,” Rayudu said.

Rayudu’s remarks sparked a debate in the cricketing world. While some agreed with his viewpoint, others argued that individual performances like Kohli’s should inspire and motivate the rest of the team.

This incident is not the first time Rayudu has criticized RCB and Kohli. Previously, he had pointed out that prioritizing individual milestones over the team’s interests had hindered RCB’s success. He urged RCB supporters to force their management to bring in players who would put the team’s interests first.

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