'Naveen-ul-Haq destroyed him': Virat Kohli brutally mocked for 'Test match knock' during RR vs RCB match
Fans on social media lashed out at the former RCB skipper for what they called was a "Test match knock" during the IPL 2023 match against Rajasthan Royals.
With IPL 2023 repeatedly highlighting the need for explosive knocks with no total being a safe score , the debate remains as to whether T20 cricket still needs anchor batters. Virat Kohli primarily belongs to the latter group. Even though he has at times shown in aggression in the powerplay, his strike rate takes a nosedive in the middle overs where he scores at a run-a-ball rate. His batting has often been the cynosure in the strike rate debate and on Sunday, fans on social media lashed out at the former RCB skipper for what they called was a "Test match knock" during the IPL 2023 match against Rajasthan Royals. (RR vs RCB Live Score, IPL 2023)
The track used at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium was indeed a sluggish one with both Kohli and Faf du Plessis struggling to get going in the powerplay. Kohli did start off with a boundary against Sandeep Sharma in the first over of the game, but it remained the only boundary in his 19-ball knock of 18 runs.
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The RCB star was eventually dismissed in the seventh over by a superb knuckle ball from KM Asif. Kohli had charged down the track against the delivery, but outfoxed by the pace off it. The drive shot was executed a tad but early as he chipped the ball straight into the air, leaving Yashasvi Jaiswal to complete the catch.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the knock…
Despite Kohli's sluggish knock, Du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell did show intent in their respective knocks. The RCB skipper scored 55 off 44 runs laced with three boundaries and two maximums before being dismissed by Asif. Meanwhile, Maxwell rdeached his half-century mark in just 30 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.
Earlier this week, former India head coach Ravi Shastri had an advice for Kohli pertaining to his strike rate issue. "Once you get in the tempo, don't worry about the others. That will be my message to Virat. In a T20 game, you don't need that many batsmen. If you are hot keep that going," he had told ESPNCricinfo. "If you get going, don't change your tempo; try and up the ante."
