Virat Kohli has signalled to the world that 'he is back' with the match-winning innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Gujarat Titans (GT) in their IPL 2022 encounter on Thursday (May 19), according to former India head coach Ravi Shastri.
Kohli scored 73 runs off only 54 balls as RCB gained two critical points to keep their playoff hopes alive. He was under a lot of pressure heading into RCB's final league game, as the former captain had struggled to get going, scoring just 236 runs in 13 matches at an average of less than 20.
On what appeared to be a difficult pitch for batters, RCB was given a target of 169. Kohli, on the other hand, showed flashes of his old self, enthralling the Wankhede Stadium crowd.
Kohli was pumped up as he pushed himself to capitalise on a strong start. He became more proactive than before, attacking leg-spinner Rashid Khan and hitting two sixes against him. Kohli reached his fifty in just 33 balls and finished with 73 from 54 balls to help RCB lay a solid platform. He added 115 runs with skipper Faf du Plessis, giving them their first century partnership of the season.
After reaching his fifty, Kohli kissed his gloves and gazed up to the night sky with relief. On Thursday, he was at his most animated, slapping the air with delight and energising his partner du Plessis every time they got a boundary.
Kohli has answered all the criticism against him with his performance, Shastri said, adding that if RCB make the playoffs, Kohli will be at his best.
"The pop is in the house and he's announced it to the world, and he's there in the playoffs- if they qualify, and if there's a problem with Delhi Capitals- then wait and watch, It's an announcement not to the critics- it's to the world- don't mess around with the pop. When there's class, respect class and it will teach all the kids how to play," Shastri told ESPNCricinfo.
Shastri was the one who suggested Kohli take a sabbatical after pointing out that the former India captain was mentally exhausted following a roller-coaster year.
Kohli revealed that he was contemplating about taking a break in an interview for Star Sports ahead of the match against Gujarat Titans, noting that Shastri understands what he has gone through recently. Kohli and Shastri had a strong bond during their time as captain and coach of the Indian cricket team.
"It's not a lot of people who mentioned it. There is one person precisely who has mentioned it which is Ravi bhai and that's because he has seen from close quarters over the last six-seven years the reality of the situation that I have been in," Kohli said on Thursday.
"The amount of cricket that I have played and the ups and downs and the toll that it takes on you to play three formats of the game plus the IPL for 10-11 years non-stop with the seven years of captaincy in between," he said.
