During the course of the current 2024 IPL season, there was ample discussion and criticism of Virat Kohli’s strike rate, particularly in the middle overs, prior to the announcement of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup. With 500 runs this season, Kohli continues to hold the Orange Cap, although his strike rate has come under criticism after a plodding century against the Rajasthan Royals earlier this month and a slow-moving 51 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In response to the criticism that Kohli’s intentions in the format are being subjected to, former India cricketer and Kolkata Knight Riders coach Gautam Gambhir stated that each player has a unique set of skills and that a team needs both anchors and explosive batters. The former World Cup champion emphasised one more how winning counts more than a batter’s strikeout rate.
Each person is engaged in a unique game. Kohli cannot do what Maxwell can do, and Maxwell cannot do what Kohli can do. You must include a variety of hitters in your starting eleven. If you line up explosive hitters from No. 1 to No. 8, you may score 300 but also be bowled out for 30.Even a 100 strike rate is fantastic when you win. But no one complains about losing when you have a 180 strike rate.
At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Kohli crushed the Gujarat Titans with a match-winning 70 not out off 44 balls. With nine wickets remaining, RCB was able to chase down 201 in just 16 overs thanks to his knock and an undefeated hundred from Will Jacks.
After the criticism, Kohli responded to those who questioned his strike rate with a jaw-dropping statement: “Winning the game for my team has always mattered more to me.”
“Those who enjoy discussing topics like strike rates and my poor spin game are the ones who bring up these topics. However, I simply care about winning the game for the team,” Kohli stated following RCB’s victory over GT. “And there’s a reason why you do it for 15 years – because you’ve done this day in [and] day out; you’ve won games for your teams.”
Kohli’s performance against the Titans was particularly noteworthy since he hit 61 runs in 34 balls against spinners, which resulted in a strike rate of 179.41, which is his third-best against the variety in an IPL innings where he faced at least 20 balls.
“I’m not sure whether you have ever had to sit and talk about the game from a box yourself. “I don’t think it’s exactly the same as playing outside,” stated Kohli. “So it’s simply about performing my job for me. People can discuss their own opinions and presumptions about the game, but those who play it frequently understand what goes on; for me, it’s now almost like muscle memory.”
