IPL 2021: ‘That’s a match-losing knock’ – Twitterati divided as Virat Kohli finds runs, but not quick runs

After a failure in the last match of IPL 2021, Virat Kohli started off the innings against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday (September 24) very much in his element. Batting alongside young Devdutt Padikkal, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper looked in good form and rhythm during the powerplay. Recognising the need to maximise […]
 
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IPL 2021: ‘That’s a match-losing knock’ – Twitterati divided as Virat Kohli finds runs, but not quick runs

After a failure in the last match of IPL 2021, Virat Kohli started off the innings against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday (September 24) very much in his element.

Batting alongside young Devdutt Padikkal, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper looked in good form and rhythm during the powerplay. 

Recognising the need to maximise the field restrictions at a high-scoring venue such as Sharjah, Kohli went for his strokes from the very beginning. While CSK overseas paceman Josh Hazlewood kept a leash on the great batsman, he took advantage of any error from Indian quicks Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur. 

The right-hander made 33 runs off the 21 balls he faced during the powerplay, pushing the RCB total to 55 without a loss of wicket. At that point, it seems Virat Kohli will now hit the second gear in his innings and really unleash wrath on the CSK attack. What followed, however, was a bit of a struggle. 

Kohli couldn’t get away against left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja during the middle overs and struck only 20 runs off the next 20 balls he faced. In a significant passage, the RCB captain went at a strike-rate of only 100. 

IPL 2021: ‘That’s a match-losing knock’ – Twitterati divided as Virat Kohli finds runs, but not quick runs
IPL 2021: ‘That’s a match-losing knock’ – Twitterati divided as Virat Kohli finds runs, but not quick runs

Virat Kohli began in good flow but slowed down thereafter in Sharjah

Mixed reactions follow as Virat Kohli makes 53 off 41 in Sharjah 

The post powerplay phase of Kohli’s innings completely altered the momentum of the innings and tilted it back in CSK’s favour. It also changed fans’ reaction about his half-century, triggering a debate if such a sharp dip in run-scoring after the field restrictions is match-losing from RCB’s perspective? However, some argued that Virat Kohli was only setting up a foundation for the likes of Devdutt Padikkal and AB de Villiers. 

Here are some of the reactions:

 

There was hint of turn available for Jadeja on the dry but still more true-paced track in Sharjah. However, Kohli’s struggle to get him away post the powerplay further accentuate the concerns around his game against spin over the last couple of years.

Overall, Virat Kohli has now made 256 runs from his nine innings of the IPL 2021 with a respectable average of 32.00 but his strike-rate has been only 123.07 – which is worrying from RCB’s point of view.