Virat Kohli has the skill to score runs at a much better strike-rate like any young T20 star but RCB's team composition is such that he needs to adopt a risk-free approach.
Virat Kohli's conduct came under the microscope in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne on Thursday after a clash of shoulders with teen debutant Sam Konstas, but the incident did little to knock the Australian wonder boy off his stride.
Kohli was reportedly offered the captaincy for the Ranji Trophy match against Railways but chose to decline the opportunity
India is facing form concerns and selection dilemmas as they enter the final phase of their Champions Trophy preparations.
'Have a look where Virat walks. Virat's walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind whatsoever.'
This will be Virat Kohli's first Ranji Trophy match in 12 years.
The clash was a record-breaking one. Right from individual pieces of glory to team milestones, India opener Smriti Mandhana's records to Australia once again re-writing history books to justify the seven titles in their trophy cabinet, this match had it all.
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam shared a brief yet significant exchange before Pakistan began their innings.
'Upsetting the balance by moving Kohli down the order wouldn't be ideal, especially if they make frequent changes at the top.'
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting says he has not seen a "better player" than Virat Kohli in ODIs, and backed the Indian batting star to go past the legendary Sachin Tendulkar as the highest run-getter in the 50-overs' format.
Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah was effusive in his praise for Virat Kohli's performance.
'I am a hundred percent confident in how Virat will start this tour.'
The Indians have not featured in ODIs in recent months but Kuldeep Yadav (650) and Ravindra Jadeja (616) still remained static at number three and number nine in the latest ODI rankings for bowlers.
Virat Kohli began training with the Delhi team on Tuesday ahead of his eagerly-awaited Ranji Trophy comeback after a 12-year gap.
With Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid at the helm, India bounced back from their heartbreak of losing in the final of 2023 ODI World Cup at home to Australia by winning the next two ICC events -- the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Virat Kohli's refusal to make changes in his batting to overcome a weakness outside the off-stump has seen his average drop from the 50s to 48.13, says former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar.
While modern greats like Shubman Gill and Joe Root shy away from batting at No. 3, Nasser Hussain says Cheteshwar Pujara embraced the challenge and carried forward Rahul Dravid's legacy with distinction.
On a night packed with drama, milestones, and momentum swings, five batters rose above the rest to set Eden Gardens alight.
Virat Kohli's childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, remains confident that the star batter will rediscover his form ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, despite recent struggles.
The Indian batting star and former captain got upset as he felt he and his children were being filmed without his consent. He lost his cool and got into an altercation with an Australian journalist.
While the whole batting unit faltered, the spotlight fell firmly on seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whose lean patches in recent times have become a matter of concern.
As India marches toward the Asia Cup final, one thing is crystal clear -- Abhishek Sharma isn't just participating in this tournament; he's redefining it.
The observation, however, did not go down well with Bumrah, who responded to Kaif by saying, "Inaccurate before inaccurate again.'
'Tilak Varma is the next BIG thing in Indian Cricket. Wow! What an incredible match-winning innings!'
'Many would end their successful international careers with a 1/4 of what he's achieved.'
Virat Kohli survived a controversial catch call on the first ball he faced in the fifth and final Test at Sydney on Friday.
On a rain-marred third day of the ongoing Brisbane Test, Kohli copped yet another failure when Josh Hazlewood had him caught behind for 3 as a struggling India ended at 51 for 4 when the stumps were drawn.
'...We are very happy that he is leading Punjab kings & happier we could get him in the auction as he was our first & only choice for captaincy...'
While the team battles it out on the field, the duo is focused on improving their performance, with the Indian pacers, including Prasidh Krishna, providing tough challenges in the nets.
'Should a player with such deep understanding of the ODI format be removed from captaincy when neither age nor performance has dimmed his brilliance?', asks veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif hailed opener KL Rahul following his century against West Indies at Ahmedabad, saying that his biggest strength is "belief and hard work" and slammed his critics for 'changing opinions' after few great innings.
India's captain Virat Kohli will have to think overtime about the balance of his squad, with a long tail, often bushy with runs, and just two openers -- one untested (Rohit Sharma) but very capable and another supremely talented (KL Rahul) but highly reluctant starter.
Star batter Virat Kohli supported the presence of players' families on tours
Virat Kohli fined 20 per cent match fees, one demerit point for his altercation with Sam Konstas
India are yet to win a Test in Birmingham in nearly six decades -- boasting of a dismal record of seven losses and one draw in eight attempts.
"I will be walking out with you to bat at the MCG," R Ashwin told Virat Kohli in a short note on X Friday, a subtle and endearing demonstration of their closeness in the team.
Former West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has come out in support of Virat Kohli, who has been struggling for runs in recent times, saying the Indian batter is still the "best player in the world". Gayle said that Kohli's current form is just a "patch" and that the Indian captain will "pick himself up" and come back stronger.
His century in the Perth Test during the 2018-2019 series is rated by many as his finest, which Virat Kohli also acknowledges as his best in Australia.
Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh moved up to the sixth and 10th spot respectively in the latest ICC T20 rankings released on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli continues to prove why he is one of the greatest ODI batters of all time, moving up to the fourth spot with 747 rating points in the latest ICC ODI rankings.
