IPL 2025: Kohli's Consistency Makes Things Happen for RCB
The former captain is leading from the front with the bat for Bengaluru
RCB is enduring a strange season of sorts. It is not hopeless. But it has won all its matches at home in Chinnaswamy. But has secured significant victories in all its away matches.
Last afternoon, it romped past PBKS at Mullanpur. And as has been the feature of this season in RCB's campaign, Virat Kohli's innings was the cornerstone. Devdutt Padikkal too played a crucial innings, coming to bat at one-down. RCB is currently in third place on the points table, with Kohli's contributions at the top of the order being instrumental in stabilising the team's batting and setting the tone for their matches.
In 8 innings, the trailblazer has amassed 322 runs at a healthy average of 64.40 --- the highest among those who have scored more than 150 this season. Kohli is currently fourth in the Orange Cap list, and potentially just one innings away from surpassing the leader Nicholas Pooran (LSG) with 368. The Bengaluru batter's strike rate is also at a respectable 140, showing that he is balancing both anchoring and flamboyance.
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Kohli has registered four half-centuries this season, including a match-winning 73 off 54 balls against Punjab Kings last afternoon. This unbeaten knock marked his 67th fifty plus score in IPL (this includes centuries too --- 59 fifties and 8 centuries). This took him past another IPL legend David Warner's record of 66 fifty-plus innings ( 4 centuries and 62 fifties).
Warner and Kohli, for the record, are the only players to have won the Orange Cap on two different occasions each. Kohli's 2016 season, where he smashed 973 runs, is still the best for any batter in a season. Kohli also holds the record for the most centuries in the league, having hit eight hundreds.
Kohli's consistency this year has been the mainstay in RCB's success, particularly in away games, where the team has maintained an unbeaten streak. His ability to adapt to different conditions and build partnerships has been evident in matches like the one against Punjab Kings, where he shared a 103-run stand with Devdutt Padikkal. Kohli's experience and composure have allowed him to guide younger players and ensure that RCB capitalises on crucial moments.
Kohli's leadership, even in a non-captaincy role, has been evident in his on-field demeanour and interactions with teammates. His focus on building partnerships and understanding match situations has been crucial in RCB's victories.
After 8 matches, RCB is at the third spot with 10 points --- same as four other teams (GT and DC are above having played one game less and PBKS and LSG are below because of lesser net run rate).
As of now, RCB looks well primed to finish in the top four and make it to the playoffs. As ever, Kohli's form will be key for its further ambitions in the tournament that it has never won in its 18-year history.
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