For the fourth time in his 16 IPL seasons, he has amassed more than 600 runs, but more importantly, he is doing it at a strike rate that is greater than it has ever been. In 2016, it was 152.03; by 2024, it had risen to 153.51. In terms of statistics, the change is minimal. But Kohli’s most recent resurgence says volumes about his character for someone who is always challenged to demonstrate his relevance at a time when white-ball cricket is evolving almost annually.
This season, Virat Kohli has stood out for two reasons. With 30 sixes, he has reached that milestone for the first time in an IPL season since 2016 (when he struck 38 sixes in 16 matches). This is a huge declaration of purpose for a classical batter who was previously programmed to strive for more boundaries through the ‘V’ rather than take the aerial path. The way that Kohli has adjusted his middle-overs strategy is also fascinating, as demonstrated by his 47-ball 92 against Punjab Kings on Thursday.
The fact that RCB reached 100 in just the ninth over was presumably due to Rajat Patidar applying the brakes to Rahul Chahar, but Kohli’s strike rate of 184—despite not having faced a spinner yet—was also quite detrimental. When he did, in the 11th over against Liam Livingstone, Kohli was caught off guard by the turn and managed to score on only two of the four balls he faced. Chahar’s next over produced three runs off three balls. Kohli didn’t really get going until Livingstone was sent in again; he flicked him through midwicket before slog-sweeping him for two straight fours.
With a strike rate of 177 against spinners, Kohli finished the match with 23 off 13 against Livingstone and Chahar. Compared to Kohli’s strike rate of 123.58 against spinners in his first nine IPL games this year, this was a significant change. The reason for this comeback against spinners is mostly down to Kohli’s willingness to try out new strokes, such as the slog sweep.
Following RCB’s 60-run victory, Kohli declared, “I’ve brought out the slog-sweep to the spinners,” during the post-match press conference. “I didn’t rehearse it at all; I just put myself in that scenario mentally. I’ve hit it a lot in the past, so I know I can hit it. I simply felt that I had to take a little more chance, and that shot was one I used to make frequently in the past.
This tactic proved to be quite effective as Kohli concluded with a strike rate of 187.5 in the 7–15 overs, indicating that RCB’s scoring rate did not decline as it typically does. Another aspect of Kohli that came to light was his lack of concern about being out as long as he was able to provide such beginnings.
Kohli remarked, “I believe it just takes a little more conviction and removes that thought that props up: ‘what if you get out’.” “I’ve been able to stay ahead of that thought in this IPL, and that’s really helped me in the middle overs, maintaining both the team’s scoring rate and my strike rate high.”
It is essentially a given. At the T20 World Cup, Yashasvi Jaiswal will start alongside Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav Kohli at positions three or four, or the opposite. If there are any doubts, Kohli’s resurrected IPL form provides a strong case for considering him as the opener. In addition to the fact that Kohli has performed well in this position in the IPL, averaging more (46.14 to 35.19 at No. 3 and 34.18 at No. 4), and striking at a greater rate (137.87 to 123.79 at No. 3 and 131.47 at No. 4), it is imperative that a club give their greatest batsman as much time as possible.
In addition, he expressed his desire to never take his position for granted and to concentrate on “some added challenges in terms of improving your own game, certain aspects of your game that you want to get better at.” I don’t want to sit around saying this is how I play and not become better at the things I need to because it’s a process that is always changing.
T20 experts have long held that fearless batting is the way to go. Given that age is frequently associated with spin, Jaiswal would be a better option to start the batting for India. On the other hand, this Kohli version offers India a rare combination of expertise and fearlessness, along with a lifetime assurance that no one is more suited to take remedial action if things go wrong. RCB is glad to have benefited from it. Will India, though, follow suit?
Read More:
