Former Royal Challengers Bangalore RCB) skipper Virat Kohli has struggled in the ongoing IPL 2022 season, scoring only 216 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of just 111.9. Kohli, who was expected to replicate his IPL 2016 form after stepping down as RCB captain at the end of 2021, has only achieved one half-century and five single-digit scores this season, including two successive golden ducks.
Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar believes Kohli should quit putting pressure on himself and just enjoy the game ahead of the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Kohli, who batted at no. 3 for RCB, showed early signs of problems despite his two 40-plus runs. Kohli was shifted to the opening spot after two consecutive golden ducks and hit his maiden fifty this season.
However, his results as an opener in the last three games have been sluggish - 97 off 96 - reflecting a run-a-ball rate that has impacted the team's total.
Speaking to Sportskeeda ahead of the RCB-SRH game, Akhtar pointed out that Kohli has put pressure on himself to prove his worth, Despite the setback, the Pakistani legend remarked that "legends" like Kohli knew how to come back strong.
“Virat Kohli is a great player. He has nothing to prove. The bad form he is in now is because he has the pressure to prove himself and he has already done that in IPL. He just needs to go out there and enjoy the game. He is trying too hard to score runs. He is thinking, 'I'm Virat Kohli and I'm not being able to do which I once was'. This is time when you realise you are only a human being. To err is to human. But legends like Virat Kohli know now to make a strong comeback,” he said.
Kohli will need to score big against SRH if RCB is to make the playoffs. They are now fourth in the table with 12 points from 11 games.
