Virat Kohli always attracts media attention. His 51-run knock in 43 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday significantly ended RCB’s six-game losing streak in IPL 2024. However, it also drew criticism for being too slow and cautious, especially after the Powerplay overs. Kohli’s slow batting disappointed many, including batting legend Sunil Gavaskar. Social media focused extensively on his slow innings during the first half of the game.

The legendary Gavaskar, who had always supported Kohli, was surprised to see Kohli slow down after a strong start. Kohli came out blazing, scoring 32 runs off 18 balls as RCB reached 61/1 in the Powerplay overs. He smashed four boundaries and a six, showing attacking intent early on. However, once the field spread out and Rajat Patidar took charge, Kohli’s scoring rate plummeted – he managed just 19 runs from his successive 25 balls. This dramatic change of pace left the legendary Gavaskar visibly frustrated, as he couldn’t hide his disappointment during the live broadcast.

“Kohli has only been taking singles. With big hitters like Karthik and Lomror still to bat, RCB need to start taking more risks. Patidar showed this mindset by smacking a fourth six when he could have settled for a single. Seizing scoring opportunities like that is key now,” Gavaskar said on commentary.

“Kohli needs to change his approach and start taking more risks. Though he has struggled to connect, he must now go for the big hit. It won’t be easy after playing defensively, but Kohli has the ability to break out of his shell. Taking on bowlers with big hits is necessary at this point, even if he misses some” the legendary batter added.

Kohli reached a brisk half-century in just 37 balls, while Gavaskar noted that his partner Rajat Patidar needed only 19 balls for his fifty. This marked Kohli’s third fifty of IPL 2024 and fourth consecutive IPL half-century at Hyderabad. However, Kohli’s 51 raised concerns as he went boundary-less for nine overs, and RCB failed to find the ropes for four overs.

Kohli was then dismissed by Jaydev Unadkat, who was featuring in his 100th IPL game. Luckily, Cameron Green’s quick 37 runs off 20 balls, paired with Patidar’s fiery batting display – which included smashing Mayank Markande for four sixes in one over – gave RCB the foundation to post 206/7. This solid total proved large enough, as Sunrisers Hyderabad were limited to 171/8 and lost by 35 runs. Otherwise, with Kohli’s slow start, RCB may have struggled to score enough runs, Gavaskar noted.

“In the middle overs, he seemed to lose his scoring touch. Though I’m unsure of the exact stats, I believe he failed to hit a single boundary from overs 31-32 until his dismissal. Ultimately, when you face the first ball of the innings but get out in the 14th or 15th over with a strike rate of 118, that’s not what your team expects from you,” he concluded.

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