Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be up against a red-hot Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) side in probably the biggest game of the 2024 edition of the IPL on Saturday, May 18 in Bengaluru. With the playoffs spot on the line, the official broadcaster JioCinema got Virat Kohli to talk before the much-awaited encounter and the former RCB skipper spoke on various subjects ranging from the T20 World Cup, his bowling, impact player and his team's turnaround in IPL 2024.
The most hilarious reaction from Kohli came on the bowling aspect when fans asked him to bowl at Wankhede Stadium during the MI vs RCB clash. Suresh Raina, who was with Kohli as part of the broadcasting team, mentioned that when Hardik Pandya wasn't there in the World Cup, Kohli did roll his arm over but Kohli was quick to cut his former teammate short.
"IPL mein nahi karunga. 2-3 baar puch rahe hain bowling do. Maine kaha bhai maaf kar do. Aur voh bhi wahan jahaan Bombay ne 15 over mein 200 bana diye. Usmein keh rahe hain, Kohli ko bowling do. Maine kaha, pagal ho gaye ho kya bhai, batting ka confidence bhi khatam ho jaayega (I will not bowl in the IPL. People were chanting, I was like please leave me. And that too in the game where Mumbai Indians scored 200 in 15 overs. In that they were like give bowling to Kohli. I was like, are they mad or what? Even the batting confidence will come down,)" Kohli said.
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Speaking further on his batting and the impact player, Kohli said that the rule is the sole reason why he is playing at a 200-plus strike rate in the powerplay while saying that it has to go as it has tilted the game in the batters' favour more so.
“I agree with Rohit [Sharma]. I say how it is. Entertainment is one aspect of the game but the state of the game is such that bowlers are clueless as to what should they do. I have never experienced anything like it where bowlers think they will concede four or a six on every ball. We are playing a high level of cricket and it should not be that dominant in my opinion," Kohli said.
"There is a beauty in having an equal balance between bat and ball. Not every team has a Bumrah (Jasprit) or Rashid Khan or not every team has mystery in their bowling. I am telling you, with one extra batter there is a reason I am playing with 200 plus strike rate in the powerplays. I know there is a batsman coming in at No 8 as well, so I don't have a problem at all. I think it has disrupted the balance and a lot of people are feeling this way not just me,” he further added while mentioning that BCCI secretary Jay Shah has already said that the rule will be reviewed ahead of the next season.
