Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal showed grit, character and intent as they began the innings against Chennai Super Kings in fiery fashion. Both openers charged towards CSK bowlers and hammered them all around the park, stitching together a 100-run partnership for the opening wicket. But, a huge change in momentum was witnessed as Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli was approaching his half-century.
Soon after he crossed the 40-run mark, Kohli looked a little more cautious about his batting. He did reach the 50-run landmark but the number of balls he consumed to reach there baffled many including former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.
Manjrekar pointed out that Kohli’s strike-rate witnessed a sharp decline from 153 to 86 as he crossed the 40-run mark. Manjrekar questioned whether this was because of the big decisions that he has recently taken in reference to his T20 career as a captain.
“I thought there was a different Virat Kohli batting today. He was stepping out to the fast bowlers. He was really batting like a T20 opener, throwing caution to the wind and going down the pitch and stuff that he doesn’t do that much. And come to 40, he drastically slowed down. I couldn’t understand that,” Manjrekar said.
Manjrekar wondered whether what has been happening around his T20 career had an impact on the RCB skipper’s approach as he was reaching the 50-run mark.
“Clearly, when he got close to 50, he slowed down. And I just wonder, the time that he is going through with all the decisions he has taken around T20 cricket and with the runs not coming in, whether he got a bit caught up in that thing about getting to 50, because it’s a huge nosedive from 153 to 86 when there is no apparent reason,” he asserted.
Despite half-centuries from Kohli and Padikkal, RCB could only put 156 runs on the board in 20 overs and CSK chased down the target in 18.1 overs without breaking much sweat.
