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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Is Kohli Targeting Gavaskar?

Is Kohli Targeting Gavaskar?

By REDIFF CRICKET
May 10, 2024 11:21 IST
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IMAGE: As if to silence his critics, Virat Kohli smashed 92 off 47 balls against the Punjab Kings on Thursday, May 9, 2024, night to keep Royal Challengers Bengaluru alive in the IPL 2024 plays-off. Photographs: BCCI

There has been much criticism about Virat Kohli's strike rate with cricket pundits questioning his approach towards T20 cricket.

After playing a blitzkrieg knock of 92 runs against Punjab Kings, Kohli said it was important for him to keep up his strike rate.

 

Kohli took 47 balls to score 92 runs at a strike rate of 195.74, smashing 7 fours and 6 sixes.

After getting two reprieves -- once when he was on a duck and once when he was on 10 -- Kohli dominated the middle overs while Rajat Patidar blazed a 23-ball 55.

Particularly remarkable was how Kohli used the sweep shot to counter spin in the match in Dharamsala.

'It was important to keep up my strike rate through the innings so I wanted to take on the momentum. It was a tricky phase when Rajat got out, we got three down and the rain came in. So we needed a bit of time to settle but once Cameron (Green) and I did, I thought "I have to go again",' Kohli said during the mid-innings break.

'The wicket was a bit two-paced, the ones pitching on the grassy ones were skidding on. Great opportunity for our bowlers to make the early inroads,' he added.

IMAGE: Ashutosh Sharma puts down Virat Kohli off Vidhwath Kaverappa.

Kohli, the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2024, has scored 634 runs from 12 games at a strike rate of 153.51.

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