"I cannot bat with you, you run too fast; you hit ones and two's, I don't" - Glenn Maxwell addresses run out with Virat Kohli during post-match celebrations in IPL 2022
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) all-rounder Glenn Maxwell claimed he cannot bat with Virat Kohli due to the latter's prowess in running between the wickets. The Australian was involved in a run-out with the former captain at the other end during RCB's 13-run win over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Kohli had called for a single following a deft dab to the off-side. Maxwell was eventually well short when MS Dhoni clipped the bails off from Robin Uthappa's throw, bringing his short innings to an end.
During the post-match celebrations in the dressing room, Maxwell jokingly suggested that he cannot keep up with Virat Kohli out in the middle.
"I cannot bat with you, you run too fast. You hit ones and two's, I don't."
The former captain's penchant for constructing an innings through constant strike rotation has been well documented. While Glenn Maxwell departed for just 13 in the ninth over, Kohli hung around for a 33-ball 30 before being castled by Moeen Ali.
However, Maxwell was exceptional with the ball. Claiming the wickets of Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa to derail CSK's pursuit, he ended with figures of 2/22 from his four overs.
Summing up his bowling performance, the 33-year-old said on RCB Match Day:
"I knew that the conditions would need a few more overs of finger spin. So, with the conditions the way they were, I was able to get out there for a few hours and just be another option, I suppose, for Faf to use and just tried to bowl fast off-spin, pitched on the stumps and hopefully let them make the mistakes. Very fortunate to get two right-handers out, when the plan was to bowl to lefties."
Maxwell was the pick of the RCB spinners as Wanindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmad failed to find control on a surface at the MCA Stadium in Pune that aided spin.
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"He was exceptional" - Mike Hesson on Glenn Maxwell's bowling display
RCB Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson praised Glenn Maxwell's game-changing spell against CSK. His exploits allowed the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Harshal Patel to seal the game off at the back end of the innings.
Opining that the all-rounder was deployed for both the left and right-hand batters, Hesson said:
"He was exceptional. We knew how important he was not just to the left-handers but also getting hit to the big side with the right-handers. He's got good control of length. The fact that we were able to get all those overs of spin before the 12th over was so important because it gave Faf so much flexibility towards the back end."
RCB rose to the fourth spot following a crucial win over their Southern rivals. The Faf du Plessis-led side will next face the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on May 8 (Sunday).