Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are the two main pillars of the Indian cricket team. Such is their impact, that the senior batters are almost assured of a place in Team India in any format. However, they have not been in good touch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While Kohli has scored 236 runs in 13 matches at an average of 19.67 and a strike rate of 113.46 for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians captain Sharma has managed just 218 runs in 12 games at an average of 18.17 with a strike rate of 125.29.
For both, this is one of their leanest IPL seasons. While former India captain Kohli scored just one half-century, current skipper Sharma is yet to go past 50 this season. Their off-form in the T20 format is not a good sign ahead of the T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia six months from now. Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket team captain and BCCI president, has now spoken on the two seniors’ lack of runs in the IPL 2022.
“I’m not worried at all about the form of Rohit or Virat. They are too good…real big players. The World Cup is far away and I am quite confident that they will be in top shape much before the tournament,” Ganguly told Mid-day in an interview.
In RCB’s previous match, after being set a mammoth target of 210 by Punjab Kings, all eyes were on Virat Kohli to finally make his statement but the batter was dismissed after scoring 20, and in the end, the side stumbled to a 54-run loss. In the second over of the chase, Kohli had played his trademark cover drive off the bowling of Arshdeep Singh and it was looking like the batter was in the groove. However, he perished in the fourth over bowled by Kagiso Rabada. After the dismissal, Kohli looked at the skies and was seen saying something.
After the game, RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mike Hesson said that Kohli is as frustrated as anyone else but is working really hard in the nets.
“We are always talking with all of our players. I thought Virat looked in good touch today, he was aggressive and he is doing everything off the park in terms of preparing well. I thought today was going to be his day but once again, it hit the other side of his thigh pad. He hasn’t had good fortune, especially when he has got himself set, he is frustrated as anybody, thought today was going to be his day,” said Hesson during a virtual press conference.
