Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has defended Virat Kohli, saying that strike rates are overrated and it is impossible for Kohli to score runs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli is batting well in the UAE leg of the IPL 2021 but on Wednesday Kohli failed to do wonders with the bat and returned to pavilion after scoring just four runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Notably, Kohli has got off to good starts during the UAE leg of IPL 2021 but he has failed to sustained the momentum after the powerplay and this has allowed the critics to raise fingers over his slow batting.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, however, has defended Kohli, saying that strike rates are overrated. Gambhir noted that it is impossible for Kohli to score runs at Glenn Maxwell’s pace and still get huge total against his name and vice-versa.
“Strike rates are very overrated. You can expect Kohli to have a 600-run season but you can’t expect that from Maxwell, and you can never have Maxwell batting at a [strike rate of] 120-125 and expect Kohli to be batting on 160. So both of them are different and it’s a combination of everyone that makes a successful side,” Gambhir said while speaking to ESPNcricinfo.
Referring to Kohli's decision to open the innings, Gambhir said that Kohli decided to open the RCB innings because he wanted to anchor the innings and then allow big-hitters like Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers to up the ante.
“(It) depends on the wicket and I believe the reason is Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers. He feels that those two guys can accelerate and he can play an anchor role in the second half, which he has done really well. That’s probably why he prefers to open the batting, get momentum in the first six overs and then continue batting while someone else from the other end can accelerate,” he added.
It is to be noted that RCB have already secured a playoffs berth and are currently placed third in the points table.
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 "IPL 2021: Gautam Gambhir opens up on RCB skipper Virat Kohli's slow batting, says THIS")
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