While Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured a crucial win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2024, Virat Kohli‘s batting approach in the match raised eyebrows, particularly from legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar.
Gavaskar Calls for More Risk-Taking
Kohli scored a fifty (51 runs) but took 43 balls, resulting in a strike rate of 118.60. This scoring pace dipped significantly after the powerplay overs, with Kohli managing just 19 runs from his next 25 deliveries. This sluggish showing stood out in contrast to the aggressive batting displayed by other RCB batsmen, especially Rajat Patidar’s explosive 50 off just 20 balls.
Sunil Gavaskar, known for his candid analysis, expressed his disappointment with Kohli’s batting on air. He highlighted the contrast between Kohli’s cautious approach and Patidar’s fearless hitting.
“It’s just been singles, singles and singles from Kohli,” Gavaskar said during commentary. “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.”
Kohli’s Strengths Overshadowed?
While acknowledging the challenges of regaining momentum after cautious batting, Gavaskar urged Kohli to be more proactive. “That’s the approach RCB now need… He has got to attempt the big shots now,” he added.
It’s important to note that Kohli did reach his fifty in 37 balls, and this marked his fourth consecutive fifty in Hyderabad – a commendable feat. However, the lack of boundaries – none for nine overs from Kohli and four overs for RCB – raised concerns about his strategy.
RCB Wins Despite Kohli’s Slowdown
Thankfully for RCB, the platform for victory was set by other batsmen. Cameron Green‘s quickfire 37 off 20 balls and Patidar’s blistering knock provided a strong foundation. RCB’s final score of 206/7 proved too much for SRH, who fell short by 35 runs.
With questions lingering about Kohli’s batting approach, all eyes will be on him in RCB’s next clash against Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 28th. Will Kohli heed Gavaskar’s advice and adopt a more aggressive strategy? Only time will tell.
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