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The stage is set for a cracking contest with Royal Challengers Bangalore hosting Kolkata Knight Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
But all eyes will be on Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir as the Kohli vs Gambhir clash gets underway. The rivalry between the pair is well known and how can one forget the face-off in last season’s IPL clash between LSG and RCB.
Having joined his former team as mentor, Gautam Gambhir, in an interview with Star Sports revealed, his desire to beat RCB every time they faced off.
“One team I always wanted to beat, every time and probably even in my dreams was RCB,” Gambhir said on Star Sports.
When the anchor asked, ‘Why’, Gambhir’s instant response was, ‘I just wanted to.’
Ahead of their clash on Friday, Gambhir said, “They are the second-most high-profile team, a flamboyant team, with the owner, and the squad – Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Ab de Villiers. Not won anything, but still thought they won everything, and that kind of attitude I can’t take.
“The three best wins that KKR have ever had were against RCB. The first game of the IPL… Brendon McCullum against RCB, then 49 all out and KKR scoring 100 in the first six overs. Probably the only time in IPL when in the first six overs 100 was scored - Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine.
“We always knew they had a strong side and probably the most aggressive batting unit as well – Gayle, Kohli, De Villiers. What can get better than that? If one thing I want out of my IPL career and love to have is to go on the cricket field and beat RCB,” said the former Indian cricketer.
When Gambhir was leading the Knights, KKR had faced off against RCB 14 times, winning on eight occasions.