4 min readApr 30, 2024 05:39 AM IST
First published on: Apr 28, 2024 at 07:28 PM IST
After a fiery 44-ball 70 not out against Gujarat Titans, Virat Kohli turned fierier with the microphone during a post-match chat with the host broadcasters. He launched a scathing attack on those who had criticised his strike rate (which is 147.49 after 10 innings, the second lowest among the top 10 run-getters so far this edition) as well as his ability to attack spinners.
The RCB talisman, who was asked whether he takes his numbers seriously — during the knock he crossed 500 runs in a season for the seventh time in the league, a record — tucked into his doubters. “Not really. All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff. For me, it’s about winning games for the team and there’s a reason why you’ve done it for 15 years, you’ve done this day in and day out, you’ve won games for your teams,” he said, his calm face hiding a storm within.
He would drag on. “I’m not quite sure if you haven’t been in that situation yourself, to sit and talk about the game from the box. For me, people can talk about their assumptions day in and day out, but those who have done (it) day in and day out, they know what’s happening and it’s a kind of muscle memory for me now,” he said.
The outburst has come in the midst of scathing criticism that he has been batting too slow for the contemporary demands of the game, and debates on whether he should be part of India’s T20 World Cup squad. The lightning rod for criticism had been his previous outing, wherein he scored 51 runs off 43 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. One of the on-air critics was Sunil Gavasakar, who remarked that “Kohli has only been taking singles”, and showed the example of his partner, Rajat Patidar, who was attempting big shots. Gavaskar would add: “Kohli needs to change his approach and start taking more risks.”
Before that, his 72-ball 113 against Rajasthan Royals too was critiqued for its strike rate (156), compared with Jos Buttler’s 100 off 58 balls (strike rate of 172.41). Then it has not been the first time that his strike rate has faced scrutiny. Last year, Kohli had a similarly explosive outrage, incidentally after a game against Gujarat Titans. “A lot of people feel my T20 cricket is declining, but I don’t feel like that at all. I feel I am playing my best T20 cricket again.”
His take
He put the strike rate myth in perspective too. “Strike rates, all those kinds of things like I said in the past as well, you have to read the situation and rise up to the occasion when the situation demands, and that’s something I take a lot of pride in doing, and I’ve been doing it for a while now,” he had said.
He touched upon ‘self respect’ too. “And for us as cricketers, have some self-respect, [be aware of] why we are playing at this level,” Kohli said.
The recent remarks would have been at the back of his mind during his innings too. He was as expressive as he used to be in his captaincy days. After every four or a six, he would curl his fists, whenever he missed out on a boundary ball, he would roar in angst. Soon after he completed his half-century, he thumped his chest and tugged at his jersey furiously, his eyes seething with rage. The moment captured the mood of his knock, and later he would take on his doubters.
Resolved to show his mastery over spin bowlers, Kohli lofted Rashid Khan’s googly over his head, inside out. He then attacked left-arm spinner Noor Ahmed, sweeping him for a pair of fours and slog-sweeping him for a flat six over long-on. Later, he cut Rashid past backward point for a four to complete his half-century. The onslaught had begun with a brace of sixes off left-arm spinner Sai Kishore, either side of the wicket. In all, 61 (off 35 balls) were accrued against spinners. Moreover, unlike in the half-century against SRH, he didn’t decelerate after the Powerplay. Rather, he upped the ante (strike rate of 146 raised to 168), despite Will Jacks taking much of the strike.
RCB's Virat Kohli in action during IPL cricket match between RCB and GT at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran) 
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