Virat Kohli's slow innings of 51 runs from 43 balls was under the scanner even if RCB broke its six-match winning streak in Hyderabad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally got back to winning ways as they registered a thumping 35-run victory over much-fancied Sunrisers Hyderabad. With this win, RCB broke their six-match losing streak and managed to barely keep them alive in the competition.
Despite the win, RCB’s star batter Virat Kohli faced the criticism for his slow innings. In a match where Royal Challengers scored 206 runs and its other batters scored at a strike rate of atleast 180, Kohli scored 51 runs off 43 balls. His strike rate of 118.60 did not backfire as his team won the game but it did not go down well with the on-air commentator Sunil Gavaskar.
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar took a dig at Virat Kohli for his slow batting. Kohli completed his half-century in 37 balls. Eventually, he threw his wicket to Jaydev Unadkat when he was on 51 while trying to attempt a big shot off a slower bouncer.
During his commentary stint, Gavaskar took out his frustration and felt that Kohli needed to attempt big shots rather than relying on just singles. He gave the example of Rajat Patidar who scored a brisk fifty.
“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. That’s the approach RCB now need,” Gavaskar said on commentary.
“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; needs to attempt. He has got to attempt the big shots now,” the former India captain added.
Gavaskar also felt that Kohli lost his touch after the powerplay. Kohli got off to a brisk start in the powerplay, racing to 32 off just 18 balls but slowed down since. He took 25 balls for his next 19 runs.
“In the middle, he just seemed to have lost touch. I am not sure of the exact numbers, but I think from 31-32 to the time he got out, he did not hit a boundary. So at the end of the day, when he got out when you are facing the strike in the first ball of the innings and you get out in the 14th or the 15th over, you have got strike rate of 118, that’s not what your team expects from you,” Gavaskar added.
Also read: ‘God help the Indian team’: Fans blast Virat Kohli for his slow strike rate against SRH
Apart from Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar scored 50 runs off just 20 balls He smashed 4 consecutive sixes in an over bowled by Mayank Markande. Patidar hit 2 fours and 5 sixes during his knock and was also adjudged the Player of the Match. Allrounder Cameron Green also contributed with a 20-ball-37.
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