IPL 2021: 3 best captaincy moves by Virat Kohli in the first half of the season
Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are placed third in the points table of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) and are firmly in contention for a top-two spot. With only the Chennai Super Kings and the Delhi Capitals (who have a game in hand) above them in the standings, RCB stand a real shot at reaching their fourth IPL final.
Much of RCB's success has been down to their newfound smarts in team selection. Their big-money signings in the IPL 2021 auction have delivered, while young Indian players like Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal have defied their age to carry their respective departments.
Captain Kohli has also played a big role in RCB's rise over the last two seasons. Although his batting isn't at the world-beating level it was earlier, he has captained the franchise with his trademark passion and aggression.
Here are the three best captaincy moves Virat Kohli made in the first half of IPL 2021.
#3 Virat Kohli appears to have harnessed Glenn Maxwell's potential
Prior to his move to RCB, Glenn Maxwell's IPL career was the stuff of infamy. Barring one good season with the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab), the Aussie has been woefully inconsistent and courted criticism from all corners of the cricketing fraternity.
But RCB and Virat Kohli have got the best out of Maxwell, who has scored a team-high 223 runs at an average of 37.16 and a strike rate of 144.8 in IPL 2021. That his best knocks came in the difficult Chennai conditions only enhanced his value to the side as he struck 21 fours and 10 sixes in the first half.
Although Maxwell wasn't used much with the ball, his batting position - ahead of a certain AB de Villiers - helped him play with freedom. The RCB think tank, which includes Mike Hesson and Kohli, has always spoken about using Maxwell higher up the order, but the manner in which the decision has borne fruit necessitates credit.
#2 Virat Kohli maximized the conditions in Chennai by bowling Harshal Patel at the death
If Maxwell played an important role in RCB's success in Chennai, Harshal Patel was absolutely invaluable. Signed from the Delhi Capitals via a trade, the experienced campaigner wasn't even expected to be part of the playing XI.
But Kohli and the RCB management realized that his concoction of slower balls and cutters would be unplayable at Chepauk and fielded him right from the first game, in which he scalped a five-wicket haul against the Mumbai Indians. He currently holds the Purple Cap with 17 wickets from seven games at an economy rate of 9.17.
Although Harshal has copped some stick since shifting venues, with Ravindra Jadeja in particular taking a liking to him, RCB wouldn't be where they are on the points table right now without him.
#1 Virat Kohli pulled off a bold move with Shahbaz Ahmed against SRH
Match 6 of IPL 2021 between RCB and the Sunrisers Hyderabad, who beat the three-time finalists in last year's Eliminator, produced a thrilling revenge win.
SRH were chasing a par score of 150 and seemed to be in control at the end of the 14th over, placed at 102/2. But Kohli fashioned a stroke of genius that titled the game in RCB's favor. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed was brought on for the first time in the match, and he bowled a tight six-run over.
RCB still needed wickets, though, since SRH required only 35 runs from the last four overs with eight wickets in hand. Although Kyle Jamieson, Washington Sundar and Dan Christian had overs in hand, Kohli persisted with Ahmed in the 17th over.
Ahmed dismissed Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey off the first two balls of the over before claiming the wicket of Abdul Samad off the final ball, sending SRH crashing to 116/5. Harshal and Mohammed Siraj saw off the rest of the match comfortably as RCB maintained their perfect start to the season.