"Kohli and Gill were both my MVPs" - Aakash Chopra says it is difficult to choose between the duo for RCB-GT clash

Aakash Chopra has chosen Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill as the joint most valuable players (MVPs) for the IPL 2023 clash between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Gujarat Titans (GT).

Kohli scored an unbeaten 101 off 61 balls to help RCB set GT a 198-run target in Bengaluru on Sunday, May 21. Gill then smashed an unbeaten 104 off 52 balls to help the defending champions chase down the target with six wickets and five deliveries to spare to knock the home team out of the tournament.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that both Kohli and Gill deserve to be the MVP, saying:

"This is difficult. This is one of those games where you should actually give it jointly and let us give it jointly. It doesn't affect my health, we can do that. So I would say that Kohli and Shubman Gill were both my most valuable players. One guru and the other his disciple."

The former Indian opener acknowledged that Heinrich Klaasen and Kohli should have similarly been chosen as the joint MVPs in RCB's previous game, observing:

"One from each side, one ended up on the losing side and the other won the game. Heinrich Klaasen and Kohli should have also been given it together. I don't remember if I did that or not, but it should have been done. Let me rectify that mistake today if I had not done that then."

Klaasen smoked a 51-ball 104 for the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) before Kohli's 100 off 63 deliveries helped RCB chase down the target in that game. Chopra named the RCB opener ahead of the SRH wicketkeeper-batter as the most valuable player on that occasion.

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"He kept fighting till the end" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli was like a lone warrior for RCB in Sunday's game. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra praised Virat Kohli for taking RCB to a fighting total despite losing a flurry of wickets at the other end, elaborating:

"Firstly Virat Kohli - Faf du Plessis got out early this time based on his standards. Glenn Maxwell was also dismissed early and then you suddenly realize that only one (among the 'KGF') was left. He kept fighting till the end. Anuj Rawat did score a few runs in the end but he is also batting off-position."

Chopra appreciated Shubman Gill for surpassing Kohli's heroics by taking the Gujarat Titans to a win, stating:

"Shubman comes in the second innings and he just betters whatever Virat Kohli has done. The opening partnership was not that good but then came Vijay Shankar, there was a big partnership with him. Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli have both scored two consecutive centuries."

Kohli and Gill played contrasting knocks. While the former RCB skipper looked to mostly pierce the gaps, hitting 13 fours and a six, the GT opener predominantly took the aerial route, smashing eight sixes and five fours.

Poll : Who played the better knock in the RCB-GT clash?

Virat Kohli

Shubman Gill

32 votes

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