After a minor hiccup in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 204, Virat Kohli is back where he belongs. The same cunning and class that Kohli is known to exude was on display again as he registered his 100th T20 score of fifty-plus, becoming the first Indian and only the third player overall to do so, in a match against Punjab Kings on Monday . He scored 77 runs in 49 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. He scored his runs at a strike rate of over 157. RCB defeated PBKS by four wickets, and Kohli played an important role.
Kohli, who took a two-month paternity break, did not forget to mention that whether it is cricket in the Olympic program or the T20 World Cup in the US, he is ‘The Face’.
In 378 appearances in T20s, Virat has scored 12,092 runs at an average of 41.26, with eight centuries and 92 fifties. His best score is 122*. Virat is India’s leading T20 run-getter and is sixth in the overall standings. Kohli’s scintillating 77 came in the backdrop of rumors that the former Indian cricket team captain might not be picked for the T20 World Cup.
After receiving the orange cap, Kohli opened his form. “(To the crowd) Don’t get too excited, it’s only two matches. I know what this (orange cap) means. (Love story with the crowd) It’s been going on for years. People talk a lot about practicing the sports. At the end of the day you don’t talk about the achievements, statistics or numbers but about the memories. That’s what Rahul Dravid says. The friendship, love, appreciation and support have been great and that’s what you will miss and will never forget. forget “, he said.
He then said that he still has what it takes to perform in the shortest format.
“In T20, I open, I try to give the team a flying start. But when the wickets start falling, you also have to understand the conditions. The wicket here was not as calm as normal. It was a bit two – pace. Had to play the right cricket shots, couldn’t hit the balls over the line. I tried a few, felt like I needed big hits at the other end, which didn’t happen as Maxi and Anuj got out quickly. Disappointed that they not having done that finished it. It was a gamble ball that I immediately cut to the deep point. Not bad, although after two months I played and entered the tournament,” he said.
“I had to, bowlers know that I play the cover drive quite well. So they don’t allow me to hit gaps. Guys like KG and Arshdeep, when they hit length, you have to create momentum, once you get closer are with the ball you negate the bounce. You have to come up with a game plan and try to keep improving. I know my name is often used these days to promote the game of T20 around the world when it comes to T20 cricket but I still get it I think so.”
While players’ places in the T20 squad will be decided based on the IPL 2024 campaign, a report claims that chief selector Ajit Agarkar has been asked to ‘convince’ Virat to make way for youngsters in the team.
According to a report in The Telegraph, Virat was informed by Agarkar about the need for a change in his approach. The conversation prompted Kohli to bat more aggressively in T20Is against Afghanistan, but he could only manage a highest score of 29 in a match.
The report further claims that the selectors are of the opinion that the slow wickets in the West Indies would not suit Kohli’s natural game as a batsman. That is why the selection committee investigated the possibilities for the showpiece.
With PTI and ANI inputs
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