Virat Kohli began his Indian Premier League 2023 campaign on a positive note, scoring 82 runs and carrying the bat throughout to help Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) chase down a 172-run mark against Mumbai Indians.
Following the RCB bowlers’ disciplined performance, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis went all guns blazing to take down the MI bowlers.
The pair put on 148 runs for the first wicket before Du Plessis fell for 73. Kohli, on the other hand, kept going and remained unbeaten to comfortably lead RCB home. His 49-ball 82 included six fours and five sixes.
After Kohli’s courageous efforts, many previous players have come forward to applaud and compliment the former Indian and RCB captain.
Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis noted that Kohli didn’t initially try hard for sixes but would hurt a ball with some clinically landed fours.
“He brings the energy. He’s a difficult guy to bowl to, because upfront, he doesn’t hurt you with hitting those big sixes, he plays some ball to the ground, knocks it around, hurts you with fours. So, it’s the consistency that’s there. The partnership with Faf, he played the more aggressive role. He played the perfect game tonight,”
said Kallis.
Sunil Gavaskar, an Indian icon, looked particularly impressed with Kohli’s six off Jofra Archer, which he flipped during the latter half of the chase.
“The pull shot for six towards the end, it was a slower delivery. But he got to the position so quickly, and he just flicked it as he was flicking a fly. And it went deep,”
Gavaskar commented.
Former RCB opener comments on Virat Kohli
Former destructive Caribbean opener Chris Gayle commented on his old RCB teammate and also revealed that he and former South African great AB de Villiers had discussed Virat before to the commencement of the tournament when speaking to JioCinema after the match.
“I’m sure. There’s no pressure on Virat. We talked about him before the tournament, me and AB. AB said, ‘hey, he’s a bit hungry. There’s no pressure. And we have seen Virat in 2016. And this could be trouble for bowlers’. He got a brilliant start, 88 not out. There’s going to be carnage for bowlers in the days to come,”
Gayle said.
Gayle also praised the tournament’s return to Bangalore after four years and stated that the players needed to wow the fans upon their return.
He further added saying,
“It will help a lot. Fans have a big part to play in this as well. We had a home game after 4 years, and you have to prove something to the home fans as well. Tey have to make sure they’re happy,”
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