Virat Kohli bagged a century off 67 balls in the RR vs RCB match but still received criticism because of the team’s loss, however, Michael Clarke defended him.
While Virat Kohli broke a couple of records in the RR vs. RCB game on April 6th, the star batter has been receiving criticism for scoring the slowest IPL hundred, and according to many, it was one of the reasons RCB lost to RR. However, former Australian cricketer Michael Clarke has come out in strong defence of Kohli.
“I wouldn’t point my fingers at Virat Kohli. He was brilliant, and I think he played the exact role he needed to play because the batters around him are not scoring enough runs, not playing with enough confidence or enough freedom,” Clarke said on Star Sports, as quoted by India Today.
Clarke opined that Kohli adapted his batting approach to the situation, holding the innings together while others struggled for consistency. He questioned the lack of support from other RCB batters, suggesting this was a key factor in the loss.
Further analysis from Clarke pointed towards RCB’s batting order decisions. He expressed surprise at Cameron Green’s promotion ahead of experienced finisher Dinesh Karthik.
“I think RCB left 15 runs on the ground. A few of their decisions were hard to understand. You have got Karthik as a finisher; I don’t know why he did not come in, probably after Maxwell. He certainly should have come in before Green. That was an interesting decision,” Clarke said.
Notably, Kohli’s knock, the joint-slowest IPL hundred in terms of balls faced, provided much-needed stability for RCB after they opted to bat first. He stitched together a crucial partnership of 125 runs with captain Faf du Plessis, laying the foundation for a competitive total.
However, RCB’s batting ultimately fell short, as Rajasthan chased down the target comfortably with five balls to spare. The loss leaves RCB at eighth in the points table, highlighting the team’s struggles in the ongoing IPL season. Bengaluru will look forward to salvaging their standings in their upcoming game versus the Mumbai Indians on April 11th.
Last Updated on April 7, 2024
