From most underrated batter to shot he cannot play: Virat Kohli opens up on IPL, T20 cricket
New Delhi, India: Star India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Virat Kohli on Thursday revealed a variety of things he loves about the Indian Premier League (IPL), including who he thinks the most underrated IPL batter, his favourite IPL opponent and his 'Greatest of All Time' (GOATs) in the cash-rich league.
In a video posted on JioCinema, Virat took to answering some questions about some of his most personal favourite players, moments, shots etc in IPL and T20 cricket during a question and answer session.
On being asked about his IPL GOATs, Virat Kohli replied, "Ab De Villiers and Lasith Malinga are the GOATs of IPL".
In an IPL career spanning over 12 years, de Villiers scored 5,162 runs in 184 matches at an average of 39.71 and a strike rate of 151.69. He has scored three centuries and 40 fifties in IPL, with the best score of 133*. He started off his IPL career with Delhi Capitals, formerly known as Delhi Daredevils. AB de Villiers was recently inducted into the RCB Hall of Fame at the RCB Unbox event in March along with Chris Gayle. His jersey was also retired. de Villiers represented the side from 2011-2021 in 157 matches. He scored 4,522 runs at an average of 41.10. He scored two centuries and 37 fifties for the side at a strike rate of over 158.
Lasith on the other hand is one of the greatest foreign stars in IPL history. The Sri Lankan pacer, who won the hearts of many with his sling-like bowling action and sheer pace, is the third-highest wicket-taker of the league with 170 wickets in 122 matches. He won IPL with Mumbai Indians in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
On his favourite IPL franchise to play against, Virat said, "Chennai Super Kings due to its big fan base. It is exciting."
CSK and RCB has locked horns 31 times in IPL, with the latter winning 20 matches and the former getting only 10 wins. One match was a no-result. In their previous meeting recently, RCB lost by eight runs. Virat is the second-highest run-scorer from any team against CSK, having scored 985 runs in 31 matches at an average of 37.88 with nine fifties and a best score of 90*.
Asked about three things he would love to "beg, borrow and steal" from his former teammate and India skipper MS Dhoni, Virat replied, "his Quadriceps, Calves, Composure."
Virat feels that the former West Indies batting great Viv Richards is a legend from the past who would have made it big in the IPL. The star batter has expressed his admiration for Richards on numerous occasions.
On enjoying batting more with AB de Villiers or Chris Gayle in RCB, who are two of his close friends from the franchise, Virat chose the former.
Asked to choose between a ramp shot and slog sweep as the most ridiculous shot in T20 cricket, Virat replied, "Ramp shot, because I cannot play it." Meanwhile, his favourite shot in T20 cricket is a pull shot.
On the greatest all-rounder in IPL history, Virat Kohli said that Shane Watson is the greatest all-rounder in league history.
In a 12-year-old IPL career in which he represented Rajasthan Royals, RCB and Chennai Super Kings, Watson has scored 3,874 matches in 145 matches at an average of 30.99, with four tons and 21 centuries. He has also taken 92 wickets in his IPL career. He lifted the IPL trophy with Rajasthan in 2008 and CSK in 2018.
Watson had a stint with RCB from 2016-17, scoring 250 runs in 24 matches with no fifty or century. He also took 25 wickets for the side.
On the most underrated batter in IPL history, Virat chose Ambati Rayadu, who is currently playing for CSK. Ambati represented MI from 2010-17 and CSK from 2018 onwards.
In 193 IPL matches, he has scored 4,264 runs at an average of 29.01 and a strike rate of over 127. He has one century and 22 fifties in the league, with the best score of 100*. He lifted the IPL trophy with MI (2013, 2015 and 2017) and CSK (2018 and 2021) a total of five times.
Choosing a better spinner in a shorter format between Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, current Gujarat Titans star and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) legend Sunil Narine from West Indies, Virat replied, "Rashid Khan".
At 24 years of age, Rashid has made a name for himself as one of the T20 greats, having taken 539 scalps in 396 matches. He is the second-highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket next to Dwayne Bravo from West Indies (615 wickets). He can also deliver match-winning knocks with the bat. Narine has a total of 484 T20 wickets in 444 T20 games.
On IPL's greatest contribution to the sport, Virat replied, "Unleashing young talent".
Over the years, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin etc are some of the Indian names that became global superstars with the arrival of IPL.
Revealing his favourite IPL moment of all time, Virat said, "My favourite moment in IPL history is the RCB's qualification (to playoffs) in 2016 IPL in the game against Delhi".
Virat was brilliant that season, scoring 973 runs in 16 matches at an average of 81.08 with four centuries and seven fifties. He played a key role in his side's run to the final, where they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
RCB is currently in the eighth spot in the points table with four points, winning two and losing three matches. They will take on Punjab Kings in Mohali on Thursday.
