Former Indian fast bowler Mohit Sharma observed that Virat Kohli’s excited reaction after scoring his first run against Kolkata Knight Riders showed the last two matches were on his mind. Kohli had failed to open his account in the previous two games against LSG and MI but he was seen back at his best against KKR.
Kohli scored a fantastic knock of 105 runs off just 60 balls in the run chase of 193. The experienced batter scored 11 fours and three sixes in his match-winning knock and was awarded Player of the Match.
Kohli looked in complete control throughout his knock and planned the run chase with guile. The veteran also became the fastest batter to reach the milestone of 14000 T20 runs in his career. Thus, he played a key role in helping RCB register a comprehensive six-wicket win.
“With the bat, he answered the questions after not scoring any runs in the last two games. I wouldn’t say there was pressure on Kohli, but the reaction after scoring his first run showed the last two matches were on his mind. The KKR bowlers also helped him a lot, they bowled to his feet straightaway, their plan was scattered,” Mohit Sharma said on Cricbuzz.
“In the last six overs, even when Virat was there, RCB still needed 61 runs, and it is not as if it was something too easy. But you did not see that panic mode anywhere. They were playing comfortably, waiting for the loose balls, because you know that those will be converted,” he added.
Kohli was given a life when Rovman Powell could not hang on to a tough chance at cover in the sixth over of the run chase and Mohit added the veteran was likely to go unbeaten after getting that chance.
“You cannot drop a player like Virat Kohli for 21 runs, you should take those half chances. You cannot say that you dropped this because it was a half-chance. Once the catch is dropped, he will not give you another chance. As soon as the catch was dropped, we were all saying he would go not out from here, and he did exactly,” Mohit Sharma said.
RCB will next take on Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, on Sunday.
