Sunil Gavaskar Hails Virat Kohli’s Aggressive Shift In IPL; Advises Rohit Sharma on Shot Selection

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April 8, 2025 0 90

Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli, Rohit and Bumrah

Sunil Gavaskar praised Virat Kohli’s early intent with the bat while urging Rohit Sharma to be more selective in powerplay overs.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has applauded Virat Kohli’s change in approach, highlighting how the batter’s early aggression has made him a more dangerous player than in previous seasons.

Speaking on JioHotstar after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s emphatic 12-run win over Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025, Gavaskar said Kohli’s shift in mindset has unsettled opposition bowlers. “The big difference over the last season and a half has been his intent to play lofted shots much earlier. Earlier, those lofted shots would come later in the innings, but now he’s looking to take risks from ball one,” Gavaskar said.

“Bowlers who were prepared for his drives and flicks are now seeing the ball going over the infield for boundaries. That change in mindset has thrown the bowlers off,” he added.

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Kohli’s explosive 42-ball 67, along with Rajat Patidar’s 64, helped RCB post a mammoth 221/5. His knock also came in Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback match, where the ace pacer returned figures of 0/29. On the other hand, Gavaskar had a word of advice for Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma, who failed to convert his start and was dismissed for 17 while trying to attack Yash Dayal.

“When he gets out in the power play, it hurts, whether it’s for Mumbai Indians, India. I believe his shot selection needs a bit of tempering. You have to be aggressive and score as much as possible in the first six overs, but choosing the right risks is key,” he added.

Rohit’s dismissal put pressure on the MI batting lineup, and Suryakumar Yadav’s scratchy 28 off 26 balls didn’t help the chase. Gavaskar also weighed in on Jasprit Bumrah’s return to action after a three-month layoff due to a back injury.

“The first and foremost thing was seeing him come in steaming and bowling at his usual pace, over 140 km/h. I believe that with a few more games under his belt, he’ll likely hit 150 km/h as he gains more confidence in his back and feels secure enough to bowl at full tilt,” Gavaskar added.