Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has slammed RCB star Virat Kohli for his rant against the critics questioning his strike-rate critics in the ongoing IPL, saying that the commentators were just responding to what they were seeing in front of them during the matches.
Kohli is the second highest run-getter in the IPL 2024 with 500 runs to his name, including one hundred and four half-centuries from 10 innings. Until recently, he held the Orange Cap for most runs, before being surpassed by Ruturaj Gaikwad.
However, the RCB opener’s strike-rate has been a topic of discussion this season, with many criticising him for being slow after the powerplay overs.
Last week, Kohli responded to the criticism over his strike-rate after playing a match-winning knock of 70 in 44 balls against Gujarat Titans.
“All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff (his low strike-rate). For me, it’s about winning the games for the team and there’s a reason why you’ve done it for 15 years, you’ve done this day in and day out, you’ve won games for your teams, I’m not quite sure that if you haven’t been in that situation yourself, to sit and talk about the game from the box,” Kohli had told the broadcasters.
The comments seemed to have irked Gavaskar, who pointed out that questions were being raised because Kohli was going at a strike-rate of 118 and then getting out in the 14th or 15th over.
"Commentators questioned only when the strike rate was 118. I'm not too sure. I don't watch too many matches, so I don't know what the other commentators have said otherwise. But if you have a strike of 118 and then you get out in the 14th or the 15th with a strike-rate of 118, I mean, if you want applause for that, that's a little bit different. That's different," said Gavaskar on Star Sports before the RCB versus GT clash in Bengaluru on Saturday (May 4).
Gavaskar further asked Kohli why he was responding to outside noise if he claims to pay no attention to it.
"When you talk about all these guys talk about, oh we don't care about outside noise, acha. Then why are you replying to any outside noise or whatever it is. We all played a bit of cricket, not a lot of cricket. We don't have agendas. We speak about what we see. We don't necessarily have any likes and dislikes. Even if we have likes and dislikes, we actually speak on what is happening," he added.
Amid the debate over his strike-rate, Virat Kohli has been included in India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, slated to be held in the West Indies and USA next month.
Addressing the media after the team selection, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that Kohli's experience matters in mega events and they have enough power-hitters in their ranks.
“About Virat Kohli’s strike rate I don’t think we have been discussing it. No look, he has been in great form fortunately in the IPL. No concerns there at all. With regards to what’s going in the IPL you’re still going to a World Cup. It’s still international cricket, there’s still that gap there. You’ve got to prepare knowing that there’s that gap there. That's where experience does matter. If the tournament turns out to be like the IPL is, where 220 is normal, we still have enough power. We can match that. There is no real point over-thinking. You have to look at the positives happening in the IPL. Form of the new guys, the performances. But at the end of the day, when you turn up in the World Cup, the pressure will be different,” Agarkar told reporters earlier this week.
