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STUMP VISION APRIL 04, 2025 | The Indian Eye 41

IPL 2025

After his performance in 2024, RCB think-tank

banking on Virat to take on spinners

In 13 innings, Virat had scored 292 runs in 213 balls against spin, striking at a much-
improved strike rate of 137.08, at an average of 58.50, being dismissed five times. He

scored 17 boundaries and 15 sixes (out of his total 38) against spin

OUR BUREAU
Kolkata
n the ongoing season, KKR faced a seven-wick-
et loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the
Iopening match of IPL 2025, held at Eden Gar-
dens on Saturday, while Rajasthan Royals also fell
short by 44 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad on
Sunday. Both teams will be keen to achieve their
first victory of the 2025 season on Wednesday and
get their campaign back on course.
The 2024 IPL saw Virat taking the game on
against spinners, even in middle overs, utilising
the slog sweep against them. In 13 innings, Virat
scored 292 runs in 213 balls against spin, striking
at a much-improved strike rate of 137.08, at an
average of 58.50, being dismissed five times. He
scored 17 boundaries and 15 sixes (out of his total
38) against spin.

This was a noticeable improvement in his
spin game. He struck at just over 113 with

17 fours and four sixes in IPL 2023 and
fared poorly in the 2022 season, with a
strike rate of 108 and five sixes against spin.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli plays a shot during the Indian Premier League 2025 opening match against Kolkata
Virat carried on his new-found confidence Knight Riders, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday. (ANI Photo)
against spin the opening clash against defending
champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Kol- want to go too deep into stats. I am not very aware. phasized pacing the innings and understanding the
kata, playing smartly against Sunil Narine and red- But if I remember, in the [T20] World Cup finals, partner’s approach for top-order batters. On the
hot Varun Chakravarthy. he got runs where it mattered. And apart from other hand, lower-order batters need to take calcu-
Ahead of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s that, in the Champions Trophy, he had a good tour- lated risks, he said.
(RCB) blockbuster clash against Chennai Super nament second-highest run-getter [for India]. And “The roles are totally different Virat Kohli
Kings (CSK), the team’s batting coach and mentor that does not come without playing on spin,” said plays at the top order and Ashutosh Sharma plays
Dinesh Karthik hailed star batter Virat Kohli and Dinesh. at number 6-7 so different roles different challeng-
expressed faith in his spin-playing abilities, saying “So, I believe right now, he is batting as well es. I would say for somebody who is batting at the
that he wants to “improve and keep raising the bar.” as he has ever done. And you speak to him even top order he has to make sure to pace the innings
Virat has a fine record against CSK, having today, just now as I came out. He wanted to work well he has to understand what his partner at the
made 1,053 runs in 33 matches and 32 innings at an on one more shot. At this point in time, to work other end is doing that is a big part of batsmanship
average of 37.60 and a strike rate of over 126, with on one more shot tells you the hunger that he has and for a lower order batsman its about taking cal-
nine fifties and the best score of 90*. His record at in his mindset. He just wants to improve and keep culated risk. And yes, for a young player, maybe
Chepauk, though, is underwhelming, having made raising the bar. So, he is a special player. And at this the expectation is not that much, and obviously,
383 runs in 13 matches at an average of just 29.46 point in time, the way I see it, he is batting as con- expectations are not high from untested and do-
and a strike rate of over 111, with two fifties and fidently as he has ever done in IPL,” he concluded. mestic players; they tend to surprise the opponent.
the best score of 58. Now, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar That’s not the case with experienced batters; they
“He has batted well in the recent past against has spoken of the role of top-order and lower-or- have to take the responsibility.” Sanjay Bangar,
spin, especially in white-ball cricket. So, I do not der batters and the challenges they face. He em- JioStar Expert, told the media.

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