Online experts and commentators constantly pestered Virat Kohli for his strike rate in the recent IPL 2024 tournament. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter finished the tournament with 741 runs in 15 matches with a strike rate of 154.69.
Kohli also made one century and 5 fifties in the 15 matches RCB played in the tournament but failed to qualify for the final, losing to Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator match.
His RCB teammate, Dinesh Karthik recently said how Virat Kohli was pumped up after some experts commented on his strike rate during the just-concluded Indian Premier League season (IPL 2024).
Regarding Kohli’s outstanding performances in the IPL 2024, the experienced keeper-batsman claimed that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) thrives on criticism and enjoys proving people wrong.
“I can write a book on how he was this year. He started okay but thanks to people like Simon (Doull) and a few others, they just really spurred him on. And you don’t want to see that side of Virat Kohli. I think he thrives on that. He is someone who inadvertently wants to hold on to certain things to do well.
He loves proving people wrong, and even though he might not come out and say it, it really fuels his passion and he’s like a molten lava coming out. He’s fiery and you don’t want to be anywhere close to it because you’re going to get burnt for sure because he’s done this time and time again,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
Virat Kohli became the first person to cross the 8000-run mark in IPL history during the IPL 2024.
“I doff my hat to him”- Dinesh Karthik on Virat Kohli
Kohli currently has 8004 runs in 252 IPL matches at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of 131.97. He has hit 8 centuries and 55 fifties and has also sent the ball to the boundary 705 times, while has hit 272 sixes. His highest score is 113*.
Karthik heaped accolades on Kohli, claiming that the experienced player’s intensity was unrivaled throughout the season.
“You can speak about RCB, the success, and all of that; it is not happening without that man. I’m not saying this with his batting. It’s the intimidating feeling that he gives when he’s on the field, the way he pushes fielders, if you ever had a mic in one of those timeouts, my god!
There will be a lot of bleeps for a start and Ben Stokes will be mentioned a bit, but if you look past all that, the intensity that he carries and he expects each player to do well. I doff my hat to him.
“To be doing that in the 17th year of IPL, stand up and applaud the man. RCB and its fans should be grateful to have a guy like that,” Karthik added.
Also Read: Ambati Rayudu Takes A Sly Dig At Virat Kohli And RCB After KKR’s IPL 2024 Win