Will Jacks reflected on his partnership with Virat Kohli, highlighting the Indian cricketer’s invaluable guidance on tackling spin and maintaining intent.
In their match versus Gujarat Titans, centurion Will Jacks took Royal Challengers Bangalore to their fastest successful chase of a 200-plus target in IPL history, bouncing back from a nervous start to unleash a flurry of eight boundaries in his last ten balls.
Reflecting on his innings, Jacks credited senior partner Virat Kohli for his crucial guidance, particularly in the initial phase against spinner Rashid Khan. Kohli’s tips on tackling spin and maintaining intent proved invaluable, instilling confidence in Jacks and enabling him to shift gears and play freely. Despite initial nerves, Jacks embraced the challenge, ultimately reaching his century with Kohli’s encouragement to keep pushing forward.
“Virat kind of helped me through my first 15 balls where I was struggling and he showed good intent which is what we had spoken about. That was really good from him and he was keeping us ahead. He was giving me tips on playing spin. He said he was reading Rashid well and could take him down which helped me. He has got so much experience, he is amazing to bat with, I learned so much out there and am pretty lucky to have that kind of partnership with him,” Jacks told in a conversation with Cameron Green, posted on RCB’s social media handles.
“I was feeling a bit nervous but it was nice to get one away and the confidence just instantly comes back and from there we were trying to get ahead of the game. And the last two overs it was just about having fun. Virat was like, ‘just keep going, don’t stop.’ I never thought about the hundred, but then I looked up, seven to win, I am on 88, you never know. Crazy innings to go from not being able to hit the ball to feeling like I could hit anything,” he added.
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Jacks’ explosive innings, featuring six sixes and two fours in the final ten deliveries, also earned praise from partner Kohli, who humorously recounted their on-field dynamics.
“He (Jacks) called for two and when he looked back I was ready for three, and he decided I am going to hit every ball for six now because I am not running anymore. That was the secret. Brilliant!” Kohli had quipped earlier.
Jacks believes that RCB has gained significant momentum with two consecutive wins, following a narrow loss earlier. Expressing optimism, he emphasized the importance of continuing this winning streak to secure a spot in the tournament.
Last Updated on April 29, 2024
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