Kohli also scored 500 runs in an IPL season for the seventh time during his knock against GT, and also brushed aside perceptions about his strike rate and approach against spin. He had come into the game with a score of 161.62 against pace bowlers but a much lower 123.57 against spinners in IPL 2024, but did not see it as a problem.
“All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones who love to talk about these things. But for me, it’s just about winning the game for the team,” Kohli said. “And there’s a reason you do it for 15 years: because you did it this day in [and] day after day; “You have won games for your teams.”
Kohli overcame GT’s strong spin attack that featured Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Sai Kishore. Sixty-one of his 70 runs in Ahmedabad came against spin, and included five of his six fours and three sixes. Twenty-two of those 60 runs were also swept, a shot he does not employ regularly against spin.
“I’m not really sure if you’ve been in that situation of sitting and talking about the game from a box. I really don’t think it’s the same.” [as playing out there]” he said. “So for me, it’s just about doing my job. People can talk about their own ideas and assumptions about the game, but those who have done it day in and day out [and] “Every day I know what’s going on, and now it’s kind of muscle memory for me.”
Despite winning by nine wickets with 24 balls to spare, RCB remain at the bottom of the points table with three wins and seven losses. However, they are turning the page after having won only one of their first eight games.
“Look, we wanted to step forward for ourselves, [and] playing for a bit of self-esteem,” Kohli said. “We can’t continue in a big tournament like we did in the first half, so it’s just about going out and playing the cricket we want.”
“If you look at the ball as well, we are attacking the game a lot more and the bowlers are being brave. The fielders are putting bodies on the line. So that’s the way we want to play our cricket. That’s the way we that we always do. and it hasn’t been up to par so far in the tournament, except for the last two games.
“So yeah, we just want to continue the same work and have a good atmosphere in the dressing room and, for us as cricketers, have some respect for ourselves.” [be aware of] “Why we play at this level and also because of the fans who support us a lot.”