Matheesha Patirana Hits Virat Kohli on Helmet, Apologises; RCB Legend Slams 6, 4 After Concussion Test [WATCH]

In an engrossing battle between Matheesha Pathirana and Virat Kohli, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) seamer hit the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opener on the helmet with a short ball in the 11th over of the innings in Chepauk in the Southern Derby. Visibly shaken after the hit, Kohli, who had gotten off to a modest start in Chepauk, was subjected to a concussion test. Undeterred, he smashed Pathirana for a six and a four off the next two balls to assert his supremacy in the contest.

Earlier, Kohli had gotten off to a slow start in Chepauk with CSK using Ravichandran Ashwin and Noor Ahmad to contain Kohli and deny him room. Ashwin bowled exclusive carrom balls to Kohli, chasing him in the crease to cut his off-side region. Noor followed the same template as Kohli struggled to score off the spinners.

With pace back on to contain Rajat Patidar after the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal, CSK needed a new plan against Kohli, and Pathirana backed himself to bounce out Kohli. The first delivery was on point, climbing tall on Kohli as he looked to pull and missed. The ball crashed into his helmet, and the batter had to undertake a concussion test before proceeding to bat.

However, Kohli diffused any tension soon after by smashing a pull off Pathirana the very next ball over the ropes. He followed it with a casual flick through the vacant mid-wicket region to collect another boundary.

WATCH Virat Kohli vs Matheesha Pathirana battle during CSK vs RCB

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Noor Ahmad Dismisses Virat Kohli

Shortly after this engaging battle, Noor returned to once again deny Kohli room. A frustrated Kohli took him on only to be caught at deep mid-wicket. His 31 came off 30 balls wasn’t an ideal knock on the surface. But CSK deserve credit for squeezing the RCB batter for room with their impressive bowling right from the beginning.

If it was Ashwin and Khaleel Ahmed early on, it was Noor and Pathirana through the middle that managed to keep Kohli relatively quiet. This put the onus on Padikkal and Patidar to take on the bowling.

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