It looks like Virat Kohli was in his element, as he led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to register their second win by defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) by 9 wickets in Narendra Modi Stadium. It was great to see Virat Kohli silencing the critics and showcasing his prowess specifically against spinners.
It’s always commendable how a player can have a slow start and then progress to show off his ferocity. In the post-match interview, Virat Kohli acknowledged the resilience of the English batter by emphasizing the fact that he struggled with the ball at first but surely got his pace and started pounding.
For me it’s about winning the game for the team- Virat Kohli
Kohli said, “Phenomenal! When Jacks came in to bat, he couldn’t strike the ball like he wanted to. But we know how explosive he can be. But he went after Mohit, and my role changed. I was just happy to be at the other end.”
Kohli’s performance in this match certainly addressed any doubts about his ability to maintain a high strike rate. Scoring 70 runs off just 44 balls at a strike rate of 159.09 is an impressive display of his batting prowess. It’s moments like these that remind everyone of Kohli’s ability to dominate an inning and make significant contributions to his team’s success.
Kohli’s response to his naysayers shows his determination and resilience. Instead of letting criticism distract him, he used it as motivation to deliver a stellar performance on the field. He said, “All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones who love talking about this stuff. But for me, it’s about winning the game for the team”.
Virat Kohli has been the National team’s ace for many years and has played across all formats of the game. But he surely reckons that some of the criticisms that he faced lately were simply unjustified and he highlighted that he’s been in action for a long time.
“There’s a reason why you do it for 15 years. You’ve done it day in and day out and won games for your team. I am not quite sure if you have not been in that situation yourself, to sit and speak about the game from the box, I don’t think that’s the same thing” added Kohli.
He ended with a second fierce retaliation where he indicated that all the criticism that he received from the people, didn’t know what it meant to be in his shoes.
“For me, it’s just about doing my job. People can talk about their ideas and assumptions about the game, but those who have done it day in and day out know what’s happening. It’s just muscle memory for me at this point,” Kohli concluded.