Sunil Gavaskar criticized Virat Kohli’s slow batting pace, urging him to take more risks and attempt big shots instead of relying solely on singles.
RCB secured their first win in a month, defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 35 runs. Despite Virat Kohli scoring a half-century, questions arose about his strike rate, which slowed after a brisk start. Sunil Gavaskar criticized Kohli’s cautious approach, urging him to take more risks like Rajat Patidar, who played aggressively, hitting three sixes in an over.
Kohli’s strike rate dropped from 177.78 in the Powerplay to 76 in the next phase. Gavaskar stressed the importance of seizing opportunities to accelerate the innings, especially with other hard-hitters like Dinesh Karthik and Mahipal Lomror in the lineup.
“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 had 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 said on air.
“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, and suddenly connecting 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 no,” he added.
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Despite Patidar’s explosive innings and Cameron Green’s brisk 37 off 20, propelling RCB to 206/7, Kohli’s dip in form was evident. Gavaskar also noted Kohli’s struggle to find boundaries from the 32nd ball until his dismissal.
“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 said.
Kohli’s fourth consecutive IPL half-century in Hyderabad came off 37 balls, but his nine-over boundary drought has raised concerns. He later fell to Jaydev Unadkat, who was playing his 100th IPL match.
Last Updated on April 26, 2024
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