Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has stated that Virat Kohli's willingness to play big shots in the first half of his innings has made him a significant threat to opposing bowlers, as opposed to previous years when he would only smash them in the second half of his innings.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru scored a staggering 221/5, with two superb half-centuries from Kohli (67) and captain Rajat Patidar (64). Hitting 8 fours and 2 sixes, Kohli dominated the game with a 42-ball 67, giving Bengaluru momentum in Jasprit Bumrah's (0/29) comeback match.
“The big difference over the last season and a half has been his intent to play lofted shots much earlier. Earlier, those lofted shots would come later in the innings, but now he’s looking to take risks from ball one.
Bowlers who were prepared for his drives and flicks are now seeing the ball going over the infield for boundaries. That change in mindset has thrown the bowlers off," Gavaskar said while speaking on JioHotstar.
Gavaskar also asked the Mumbai Indians' struggling senior hitter Rohit Sharma to be more selective with his shot-making.
“When he gets out in the power play, it hurts, whether it’s for Mumbai Indians, India. I believe his shot selection needs a bit of tempering. You have to be aggressive and score as much as possible in the first six overs, but choosing the right risks is key," Gavaskar added.
Yash Dayal (2/46) clean bowled Rohit (17) while swinging across an inswinging delivery, and Mumbai's finest batsman, Suryakumar Yadav, battled during his 28-run innings, which lasted 26 deliveries.
Gavaskar stated that Jasprit Bumrah, who returned to competitive cricket for the first time after three months of recovering from a back injury, will continue to improve as he plays more matches.
“The first and foremost thing was seeing him come in steaming and bowling at his usual pace, over 140 kph. I believe that with a few more games under his belt, he’ll likely hit 150 km/h as he gains more confidence in his back and feels secure enough to bowl at full tilt," Gavaskar added.
