Former RCB captain Virat Kohli in action. (file photo)
Let’s travel back to 2016. it was a time when Virat KohliHis early dismissal took everyone by surprise. He had built such a reputation for himself that everyone expected him to perform every time he took the field.
Fast forward to 2022, Virat’s decline as a batsman has taken the cricketing world by storm. He hasn’t scored a century in any format for three years. The wait for that 71st hundred has acquired mythical proportions.
It all intensified when he was dismissed for ducks in two consecutive matches. Royal Challengers Bangalore lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets on Saturday, with Kohli still struggling to find form.
While the collective failure of the batting unit has been criticized, Kohli’s poor performance is also a matter of concern for the team.
He has 6402 runs to his name, Kohli is the highest run scorer in history IPL, But this season was not good for him and he failed to perform well.
He averages 17 in eight matches so far. This is Virat’s worst average of the season since 2008’s average of 15. He started well with 41 runs and contributed 12 and 5 runs in the next two matches.
In his fourth match, Virat reached 48. He looked in good touch. But things got worse from there. He scored one run in the next match and 12 runs in the next match. And then came the nightmare, back to back ducks on the first ball.
Commentator Harsha Bhogle described Virat’s current situation with a tweet, “The game that life plays with the most powerful. #Virat.”
Former India coach Ravi Shastri said, “I am going straight to the main player here. Virat Kohli is overcooked. If anyone needs a break, it is him.”
“Whether it’s 2 months or a month and a half, whether it’s after England or before England. He needs a break because he has 6-7 years of cricket left and you don’t want to lose him. A fried mind ,” They said
At the same time, the head coach of RCB defended Virat. “He is someone who has consistently performed for RCB. Players go through bad patches. He is definitely doing everything that is within his control. He is doing his fitness and skills and taking good breaks I am not letting the pressure get on me. Taking breaks at regular intervals and will continue to do so.”
RCB are currently at the fifth position in the points table. When RCB take on Rajasthan on Tuesday, April 26, the focus will be on Virat’s performance again.
What can Kohli do to get back in form? The former RCB captain is arguably one of the greatest batsmen of all time and will be unstoppable once he walks in. With the IPL heading towards the business end, the race for a place in the playoffs has already begun and RCB are placed in a precarious position.
Bangalore’s powerplay scores haven’t been exceptional and with Kohli struggling at No. 3, the management might ask the legendary batsman to open the innings. This could be just a move that will benefit both RCB and Kohli.