"You've got to try and take a few risks" - Sunil Gavaskar slams Virat Kohli's approach during the SRH vs RCB IPL 2024 game

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar criticized Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Virat Kohli's batting approach during their IPL 2024 game against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, April 25. Opening the innings for his side after Faf du Plessis opted to bat first, the 35-year-old scored 51 runs off 43 balls at a strike-rate of 118.60.

Fans, pundits, and former players were dissatisfied with Kohli's approach against a formidable batting side like the SunRisers, who were playing at home. Speaking on air, a surprised Gavaskar remarked that Kohli should try taking a few risks instead of scoring singles. He said:

"It's just been singles, singles and singles from Kohli. There is [Dinesh] Karthik to come; there is [Mahipal] Lomror to come. You've got to try and take a few risks now. Look at Patidar. He had already hit three sixes in that over. If he wanted, he could have taken a single or left the ball for a wide. But no, he went for it because the opportunity was there."

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"When you've been in your shell, suddenly to connect is not going to be easy" - Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli

RCB eventually posted 206-7 in their 20 overs and went on to win the contest by a margin of 35 runs after restricting the Orange Army to 171-8. It was only their second win of the ongoing edition of the IPL and SRH's first defeat at home this season.

Reiterating the fact that Virat Kohli needs to attempt big shots, Gavaskar went on to express that a sudden gear shift might not be easy for the batter who was dealing in singles. The 74-year-old said:

"That's the approach RCB now need. Yes, Kohli has played and missed; it's not easy, because when you've been in your shell, you've just been working the ones, suddenly to connect is not going to be easy. But that is what Kohli needs to do; needs to attempt. He has got to attempt the big shots now."

While Virat Kohli got to his half-century off 37 balls, Rajat Patidar took just 19 deliveries to smash his third fifty of this IPL season. Kohli got out on the last ball of the 15th over bowled by Jaydev Unadkat. Mentioning that he seemed to have lost touch in the middle overs, Gavaskar added:

"In the middle, he just seemed to have lost touch. I am not sure of the exact numbers, but I think from 31-32 to the time he got out, he did not hit a boundary. So at the end of the day, when he got out when you are facing the strike in the first ball of the innings and you get out in the 14th or the 15th over, you have got strike rate of 118. That's not what your team expects from you."

Despite the win, there was no change in RCB's 2024 IPL standings as the franchise still languishes at the bottom of the table with four points from nine matches. Next up, they will be traveling to Ahmedabad for the game against the Gujarat Titans on Sunday, April 28.