AB de Villiers throws open challenge to Kohli as the duo engage in fun banter ahead of IPL

Just a day after the conclusion of the India-England ODI series, skipper Virat Kohli hit the gym on Monday, commencing his preparations for the IPL 2021 which is nearly a week away. The RCB skipper shared a short video of him running on the treadmill and captioned it, "no rest days." Moments later, Kohli's deputy in the IPL, former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers sparked a fun banter showcasing the duo's camaraderie and teasing fans of their return to action together. 

Kohli and de Villiers - formidably the two pillars of the RCB - have often displayed their friendly equation on and off the field. Giving a glimpse of the same, de Villier's replied to Virat Kohli's Twitter post, stating that he was 'all packed' to join the team. In response to ABD's comment, Kohli said that he hopes the explosive batsman is 'still fast' between the wickets - a skill that Kohli enjoys on the field. The Proteas' batsman was quick enough to reply to Kohli's witty comment as threw an open challenge to the Indian skipper, thereby hinting that he might join the RCB camp tomorrow. 

"Let’s race tomorrow to find out," said de Villier's to Kohli's comment about running between the wickets. 

Catch the full banter here: 

IPL to begin on April 9

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off on April 9 from Chennai as BCCI unveiled the schedule for the marquee event. The IPL Governing Council informed that IPL 2021 would begin at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). After nearly two years, the IPL extravaganza will return home with Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai & Kolkata hosting the marquee event.

The final of IPL 2021 will be played at the newly inaugurated Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 30, making it the first-ever IPL game to be played at the venue. Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata & Bengaluru will host 10 matches each while Ahmedabad and Delhi will host 8 matches each, between April 9 and May 30. In addition, every team is set to play at a neutral venue and all teams will play at 4 out of 6 venues during the league stage. 

Image Credits: BCCI