Who said what - Top 5 expert comments on Virat Kohli's IPL 2023 century
In a crunch game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli turned up and smashed his sixth IPL hundred to ensure his team got over the line. Thanks to an incredible century from Kohli, RCB still seem to have destiny in their own hands with respect to the qualification to the IPL 2023 playoffs.
It wasn't an absolute belter of a pitch in Hyderabad and Bangalore had to chase 187 runs to win. However, Virat Kohli walked out to bat with intent and the way he smashed his first two balls through point showed that he meant business.
'The Chasemaster' as he is called by fans and experts, Virat Kohli provided an absolute masterclass on how to ensure there is no slowing down after the powerplay. All the questions on his strike rate were silenced and the win put RCB just one good game away from a potential playoffs spot.
On that note, let's take a look at what experts from the cricketing fraternity had to say about Kohli's knock:
#5 "Some of the best deliveries that were bowled this evening were flying"- Kevin Pietersen
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was particular about how Virat Kohli ensured that RCB did not lose the momentum they got in the powerplay. He shed light on how Kohli ensured even the good balls from the SRH bowlers were sent to the boundary. Hailing Kohli's knock, here's what Pietersen told Star Sports:
"The point of difference today was in the middle-overs. In the middle overs, his intensity went up and he did not think about knocking it around. He actually took on the boundary riders and he hit some big sixes. He really, really intensified his batting. He was hitting the spinners. He was like ‘listen I am coming for you. You get this wrong, I will come for you. Half get this wrong and I am still coming for you’. Some of the best deliveries that were bowled this evening were flying."
#4 "Vintage Virat! it was absolutely superb"- Simon Doull
Former New Zealand cricketer and well-known commentator Simon Doull of late has been pretty vocal about batters slowing down after the powerplay. He even went on to question Virat Kohli earlier on whether he slowed down to get to his milestone (fifty).
However, Doull hailed Kohli for the way he was aggressive against the SRH spinners. He feels that was the one part missing in his game of late and was delighted that the star batter didn't slow down in the middle overs. Here's what Doull told Cricbuzz:
"He [Virat Kohli] was very aggressive against the spinners. That's been his Achilles heel this year, but he was really aggressive against the spinners. I thought that was a hallmark of his innings. Vintage Virat! it was absolutely superb. Right from that first two balls against Bhuvi through the off side, quality batting throughout."
#3 "Reminded me of the way Virat Kohli batted n 2016" - Tom Moody
Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody hailed Virat Kohli for his incredible hundred and claimed that he saw shades of Kohli's 2016 IPL version, where the latter scored a staggering 973 runs with four centuries.
Here's what Moody had to say to ESPNCricinfo about Kohli's aggression against SRH:
"The best of Virat Kohli was in 2016, where he scored a number of hundreds. It reminds me of the way he batted in that season, where he scored 900-plus runs. The fluency and the aggression that he had from the start to the finish was intimidating. He totally bossed that Sunrisers attack."
#2 "He'll be the prize wicket that all the Australians are looking forward to"- Ricky Ponting
Delhi Capitals (DC) coach and Australian legendary cricketer Ricky Ponting opened up on the conversation he had with Kohli when DC played against RCB last month. He spoke about how confident the star batter is in his abilities and feels Kohli will be a threat to Australia in the World Test Championship final.
Here's what Ponting was quoted as saying by ICC:
“I caught up with Virat about a month ago when we played them in Bangalore. And I had a good chat with him about his batting and where he was at and his career. And he said to me then that he actually feels like he's almost back to his absolute best. You probably saw that last night, you know, he's had a very good IPL and I'm sure he'll be the prize wicket that all the Australians are looking forward to.”
#1 "Virat Kohli made a tough pitch look ridiculously easy"- Sanjay Manjrekar
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar hailed the hundred against SRH as Kohli's best IPL hundred. He spoke about how tough the pitch was but how easy the RCB star made it look with some incredible shots.
Here's what Manjrekar told Star Sports:
"Virat Kohli had slammed 5 centuries in IPL before this knock, but this innings will be unforgettable. He made a tough pitch look ridiculously easy and you need a player of a different calibre to play a knock like that."
RCB will hope that Virat Kohli fires in the next game against the Gujarat Titans as well if they are to qualify for the IPL 2023 playoffs.