MUMBAI:
Senior RCB batter Virat Kohli played one of his best knocks in the Indian Premier League 2024 on Sunday, 28 April. The opener remained unbeaten at 70* off 44 balls against GT, helping his side chase down a target of 201 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Kohli’s knock was impressive due to his attacking ability against spin outside the powerplay overs, which helped RCB stay in the high-scoring chase. After Kohli’s brilliance, Will Jacks took over and rapidly finished the game with a stellar hundred in just 41 balls.
Speaking after the game, former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden lauded Kohli for his ability to learn and adapt even after 15 years of international cricket and said that India needed him in the ‘element of unknown’ at the United States of America, where India play their group stage games.
“You have 4 games in the US (T20 World Cup). So, there’s that element of unknown. You need his experience. Sweep shot. Longevity in your career means you have to keep making the adjustments. And I think Virat Kohli did need to make adjustments for RCB Outside the first six, there were some issues around strike rate. Certainly, his strike rate was dropping. But, against the Afghan spin twins today, those sweep shotsâ€æ that was typical of a great champion, to keep learning. That was an option to get off strike, to hit boundaries and to keep momentum in your favour and then, you can say ‘I am doing my job today, you need to do yours’,” Hayden said on Star Sports after the match.
Stating that there has been too much focus on Virat Kohli’s strike-rate, Hayden said that Kohli has hit runs at a SR of 150 and one cannot question his experience playing in tough conditions. The former Australia cricketer predicted that there might be seaming conditions in the T20 World Cup, where Kohli’s weight will be worth gold.
“There has been way too much focus on Virat Kohli and his lack of strike rate, in my mind because he has been brilliant. This season, he is striking at 150-plus,” Hayden said.
“And you have got to keep in mind that you can’t neglect the fact that you will get green tops now and then, seaming pitches. On those pitches, if you keep thinking about getting 200, you are going to be out. He is not. He has got the Orange Cap, he has no problem. He needs to have other people to get the job done,” concluded the former Australian cricketer.
