Image Source: BCCI
[Saba Sports News] Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar criticized Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Virat Kohli for his conservative 51 off 43 deliveries against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL. Kohli began briskly at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, scoring 32 off 18 balls, but shifted to a more cautious approach after the dismissals of Faf du Plessis and Will Jacks.
Kohli’s defensive batting, which saw him add only 19 runs from the next 25 balls, culminated in his dismissal by SRH’s Jaydev Unadkat. His final strike rate stood at 118.6, considered low by IPL standards. In stark contrast, RCB teammate Rajat Patidar blasted 50 off just 20 balls.
Gavaskar, from the commentary box, expressed frustration with Kohli’s approach, emphasizing the need for aggression. “It’s just been singles, singles and singles from Kohli. There is [Dinesh] Karthik to come; there is [Mahipal] Lomror to come. You’ve got to try and take a few risks now. Look at Patidar. He had already hit three sixes in that over. If he wanted, he could have taken a single or left the ball for a wide. But no, he went for it because the opportunity was there,” Gavaskar remarked.
He further added, “That’s the approach RCB now need. Yes, Kohli has played and missed; it’s not easy because when you’ve been in your shell, you’ve just been working the ones, suddenly to connect is not going to be easy. But that is what Kohli needs to do; he has got to attempt the big shots now.”
Ajay Jadeja also critiqued Kohli’s innings, noting on Jio Cinema, “When Virat Kohli started, he looked to be in a different mood altogether. When he scored some 24 off the first 11-12 balls, we felt RCB did what SRH had been doing to other teams. But the main difference between SRH and RCB is that when RCB got ahead, they slowed down. Maybe they weren’t aiming that high.”
Despite the criticism, Kohli remains one of the top performers in IPL 2024, leading the run charts with 435 runs, including a sixth hundred and three fifties. His overall strike rate for the tournament is an impressive 145.76, with an average of 61.43.