Virender Sehwag believed that Virat Kohli made an error by not increasing his scoring rate after reaching fifty runs in 39 balls.
Many cricket veterans and experts stood by Virat Kohli amidst the debate over his slow scoring rate in his unbeaten innings of 113 against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. However, former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag didn’t hold back his criticism, suggesting that Kohli made a mistake by not picking up the pace. Alongside Mohammed Shami, Sehwag also expressed frustration at the other Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsmen for not providing enough support to Kohli.
Batting first against Rajasthan Royals, RCB got off to a good start, with Kohli and Faf du Plessis forming a solid partnership of 125 runs. But as the game progressed, Rajasthan gained momentum by taking quick wickets, leaving Kohli without much help on a pitch where spinners had the upper hand due to its slow nature.
Kohli fought a lone battle against the Rajasthan Royals bowlers, eventually becoming the first centurion of IPL 2024. However, his innings of 67 balls were one of the slowest centuries in IPL history.
Speaking to Cricbuzz after RCB finished with 183 for three in Jaipur, Sehwag suggested that RCB fell short by about 20 runs. He pointed out that Kohli’s strike rate should have increased after reaching fifty runs in 39 balls, but it didn’t, which was a mistake.
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Virender Sehwag also criticized other RCB batters, particularly Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell, for their poor performances in IPL 2024 so far.
On similar lines, Shami emphasized that RCB shouldn’t solely rely on Kohli to carry them to victory every time. He stressed the importance of other batsmen stepping up to share the burden.
Shami, who is currently recovering from ankle surgery and not part of IPL 2024, spoke from the perspective of a bowler and emphasized the need for a collective effort from the team, rather than depending solely on Kohli’s brilliance.