IPL 2025: KKR and RCB to play tournament opener at Eden Gardens on March 22
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 opening match at their home ground Eden Gardens on March 22.
Former Australia all-rounder Brad Hodge on Thursday apologised for his comments that India captain Virat Kohli pulled out of the series-deciding Dharamsala Test to save his IPL campaign.
Kohli had pulled out of the fourth Test due to a shoulder injury and Ajinkya Rahane led India to a eight-wicket win, helping the hosts seal a 2-1 series win.
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"You'd hope as a sportsman that he's seriously injured.
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Because if you miss one game of Test match cricket and you're fronting up the next week for RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) versus whoever… you'd be pretty dirty if he didn't front up to a Test match and try and win a valuable series against Australia," Hodhe had said.
Hodge's comments were criticised and it appears he feared that his own IPL stint as Gujarat Lions coach could be in jeopardy.
Rattled by the backlash, he today issued an apology on his twitter page.
"I take this opportunity to apologise to the people of India, cricket fans, the Indian national cricket team and particularly Virat Kohli for my previous comments," Hodge's his apology read.
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