"Those 19th and 20th overs have hurt them even though Virat got that milestone" - Wasim Jaffer on Virat Kohli's century against RR in IPL 2024
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer feels Virat Kohli's century in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) most recent game against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) may have come at the cost of the team's win.
Despite being only three down entering the 19th over, RCB scored only four runs as Kohli completed his eighth IPL century. They finished on 183/3 in 20 overs, scoring only 18 off the final two overs.
The 35-year-old also equaled Manish Pandey for the slowest IPL century, reaching the milestone off 67 balls. RR chased the target comfortably by six wickets with five balls to spare.
Speaking on ESPN Cricinfo, Jaffer pointed to how the final two overs made the difference in the RCB-RR and MI-DC games.
"In the RCB game, those 19th and 20th overs have hurt them, even though Virat Kohli got that milestone. Overs of 15 and 20, closer to that, it was the difference in the MI-DC game, that over from Romario Shepherd completely changed the game. If they hadn't had that over, the game would have gone close. So there is no such place for milestones. If you can get it, good enough, but you still have to go hard," Jaffer said.
Mumbai Indians scored 51 off their final two overs, thanks to a 32-run blistering in the last over by Romario Shepherd, to reach 234/5 in 20 overs. Those runs proved pivotal as the side survived a spirited run-chase by the Delhi Capitals to win by 29 runs.
"If you need to win games, that is the approach you need to take" - Wasim Jaffer urges players not to chase personal records after Virat Kohli's ton against RR
Wasim Jaffer feels the message should be clear to the players regarding chasing milestones and how it could cost the side a win.
Centuries have become a crucial currency for selection in all formats, leading to several players prioritizing the same while batting in the 90s.
"That's the need of the hour. That message (not chasing milestones) has to be passed on to the players. Whether you like it or not, if you need to win games, win tournaments, that is the approach you need to take, otherwise you will end up costing the game," Jaffer said.
Virat Kohli's century had divided opinions between fans and experts, with some pointing to his slowing down in the 90s, while others highlighting how the other batters combining for only 40 off 48 balls cost RCB the game.
Unfortunately for Virat Kohli, it was the third instance of him finishing on the losing side after scoring a century in the IPL.