(Source NDTV)
Virat Kohli reclaimed his top form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, emerging as the season’s top run-getter with an impressive tally of 741 runs.
Virat Kohli, the standout batsman, reclaimed his formidable form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, culminating as the season’s highest run-scorer with an impressive 741 runs. According to insights from his Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate Dinesh Karthik, it was the timely critique and discussions about his strike rate that served as a catalyst for his outstanding performance this season.
In the lead-up to the tournament, several pundits had raised doubts about whether Kohli’s strike rate still met the rigorous standards of contemporary T20 cricket. This spurred the former Indian captain to prove his detractors wrong with a determined display of his batting prowess. Karthik disclosed that within the RCB camp, they thrive on such criticisms and derive motivation from the challenge of disproving them.
“I can write a book on how he was this year. He started okay but thanks to people like Simon (Doull) and a few others, they just really spurred him on. And you don’t want to see that side of Virat Kohli. I think he thrives on that. He is someone who inadvertently wants to hold on to certain things to do well,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.
“He loves proving people wrong, and even though he might not come out and say it, it fuels his passion and he’s like a molten lava coming out. He’s fiery and you don’t want to be anywhere close to it because you’re going to get burnt for sure. After all, he’s done this time and time again,” he added.
Simon Doull says He’s too good to worry about what if he gets out.
The seasoned wicket-keeper batsman further praised Kohli’s remarkable intensity and exceptional leadership qualities, highlighting them as pivotal factors in the Bengaluru-based franchise’s achievements.
“You can discuss RCB’s accomplishments and everything else, but none of it occurs without him. I’m not just referring to his batting. It’s the aura he exudes on the field, the way he motivates fielders; if you ever had a microphone during one of those timeouts, my goodness!” he elaborated.
Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull, who had earlier criticized Kohli’s T20 strike rate admitted the superstar batter may need that motivation after an illustrious 17-year career.
“He’s too good to worry about what if he gets out. He’s too good a player, and that was always my point around him. I said a thousand great things about Virat Kohli, but I say one thing that might be slightly negative or construed to be negative, I get death threats. It’s never personal. We’ve had great conversations. I’ve interviewed him at tosses, we’ve talked after games, there’s never been an issue,” Doull told.
