Virat Kohli is back setting the IPL on fire. With 333 runs from eight matches that includes five half-centuries, Kohli currently sits second in the Orange Cap list for IPL 2023. For someone who struggled big time and looked horribly out of form last year, this season has been a renaissance for Kohli. The former RCB captain has set the record straight and is just 8 runs short of his season tally last year in little over half as many games. With at least 6 more matches to go, Kohli looks set for a rollicking end to the season, although the 973-barrier still looks a huge mountain to climb. Moreover, Kohli has captained RCB in its last three matches filling in for the injured Faf du Plessis and displayed shades of the old as both batter and leader.
However, despite his swashbuckling form, former England captain Michael Vaughan has spotted a missing element in Kohli's batting. He reckons that while Kohli has been nothing short of sensational this year, for some reason, the RCB star batted holds himself back when it comes to playing a little more attacking cricket after the Powerplay is finished. Vaughan's remarks come after RCB's 21-run defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders which saw Kohli anchor rather than maintaining the same pace throughout his knock.
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"I tell you what. I wouldn't mind seeing Virat against spin. A lot of teams are going to bowl spin against Virat because his strike rate becomes different. I think it’s around 107 against spin so most teams are going to bowl spin against Virat Kohli. They are going to put three on the boundary and he is going to knock it into that. I would love him to dance down and wipe one out of the ground. I just think he is that good that he can hit sixes. His mindset in t20 cricket after the six, powerplay is to almost be there till the 18th over. I don't think he is thinking on boundaries enough. He's still got to think boundaries in T20 cricket it’s very important," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
{{/usCountry}}"I tell you what. I wouldn't mind seeing Virat against spin. A lot of teams are going to bowl spin against Virat because his strike rate becomes different. I think it’s around 107 against spin so most teams are going to bowl spin against Virat Kohli. They are going to put three on the boundary and he is going to knock it into that. I would love him to dance down and wipe one out of the ground. I just think he is that good that he can hit sixes. His mindset in t20 cricket after the six, powerplay is to almost be there till the 18th over. I don't think he is thinking on boundaries enough. He's still got to think boundaries in T20 cricket it’s very important," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
{{/usCountry}}As the IPL 2023 has proven, Kohli goes after the bowlers inside the Powerplay, but then plays himself in as the innings reaches its middle phase. This could be due to several reasons – his batting being the aggressor, or RCB losing too many wickets, like the case against KKR. With RCB losing wickets in cluster, Kohli had no option but to take the game deep in a huge chase of 201. However, irrespective of it, Vaughan feels Kohli possesses the six-hitting ability that should allow him to cut loose.
"He doesn't hit behind square; he goes with the pull shot over backward square leg we saw in the Powerplay. But once those 6 overs are over and he pats them on the leg side, he very rarely looks to be going to be hitting boundaries and I think he can. He's got the game, power and timing and say 'Alright, I need a six' He needs to bring that to the RCB team particularly situations they found themselves yesterday because you can't just rely on cameos from that middle order. You’ve got to continue with the mentality of that first six. I’d like to see him take a couple more risks," the ex-England captain added.