Even Bangalore are yet to win an Indian T20 League trophy, but they enjoy the patronage of a huge fanbase nonetheless due to presence of two world-class players like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in their ranks.
While both batsmen are behemoths in their own right, they have been involved in some mesmerising batting partnerships with each other over the years as well.
We look back at three of their best stands in the history of the competition.
229 against Gujarat (M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | May 2016)
This marathon stand of 229 runs between Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers is the highest partnership for any wicket in Indian T20 League history. The duo hit a total of 20 sixes combined during the stand and propelled Bangalore to a massive total of 248 runs.
It was also the first time that two batsmen had scored centuries in the same innings of an Indian T20 League match. While Kohli scored 109 runs at a strike-rate of just a shade under 200, de Villiers turned out to be far more destructive, with 129 runs to his name at a sensational strike-rate of 248. The duo smashed the Gujarat bowlers all around the park and a clinical bowling performance by the Bangalore bowlers, later on, helped the home team win by a massive margin of 144 runs.
215 against Mumbai (Wankhede Stadium | May 2015)
This was a match where Kohli and de Villiers lit up the Wankhede Stadium with their batting fireworks. Bangalore opted to bat first after winning the toss but they lost Chris Gayle early on with just 20 runs on the board.
However, they didn't feel the loss of Gayle's wicket for too long as Kohli and de Villiers took the Mumbai bowlers to the cleaners. Hitting the bowlers left, right and centre, de Villiers played a whirlwind knock of 133 while Kohli remained unbeaten on 82.
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These two magnificent knocks helped Bangalore post a total of 236 runs on the board.
157 against Hyderabad (M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | April 2016)
While this was not a double-ton stand, with neither Kohli nor de Villiers hitting a century, the partnership on this occasion was nonetheless significant.
Bangalore were put in to bat first after Hyderabad won the toss, and the visitors got good returns on that decision initially, as they removed Chris Gayle cheaply with Bangalore's score reading 6/1. But once Kohli and de Villiers joined hands, it was carnage once again.
The duo tore the strong Hyderabad bowling attack into pieces and smattered them all around the park. Kohli put out a well-paced knock of 75 whereas de Villiers played an excellent hand of 82 off just 42 deliveries. Their 157-run stand helped the team in posting a huge total of 227 runs and a fine effort by the bowlers, later on, saw them winning comfortably, with de Villiers adjudged the Player of the Match.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran
