Last Update: April 05, 2023, 20:01 IST
Virat Kohli played the match winning innings. (pic credit: sportzpix)
Virat Kohli to quit RCB captaincy after 2021 season, almost at the same time as he quit as captain of the Indian team across all formats
Former South African star player AB de Villiers, who played under Virat Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), believes Kohli has looked more relaxed and happy this season.
Kohli has stepped away from his captaincy roles with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise as well as with the national team and has recently found his form with the bat.
Kohli shines by scoring an unbeaten 82 IPL With an eight-wicket win against Mumbai Indians in the first match of the season, he stepped down from the RCB captaincy after the 2021 season, around the same time he made his return as captain of the Indian team across all formats.
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“I haven’t seen much change, everything is the same. Technique looks solid; he’s got good balance at the crease. He’s still a ‘busy’ player and has a lot of energy on the wicket. That’s all I feel, this season He looks much fresher now. I have seen some of his interviews where he is laughing more than ever,” de Villiers asked the media on what changes he has seen in Kohli’s batting in recent years.
“I think letting go of the captaincy last season played a big role in letting him rest. He was a brilliant captain but he did it for a long time at the international level and also in the IPL which can be challenging. You don’t get time to relax or spend with family or have a laugh with a few friends. I think that’s his mantra for this season, just go out and have fun, keep smiling.”
“When he is having fun that natural talent takes over and he easily scores runs which he did in the first innings. I think the best is yet to come and we will get to see some fireworks.”
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De Villiers backed India and Mumbai Indians batsman Suryakumar Yadav, who has seen a sudden dip in form, advising him to focus on what has worked in the past.
He said, ‘He is probably now at that stage where he needs to do something. But the secret is don’t panic and don’t change your game plan. He has to stick to what has been working for him over the years. Yes, maybe, he can try and remember what my basics are ‘or what I did well when I was just scoring runs consistently’ and because obviously he can take his game to a whole different level. Gone,” de Villiers said.
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De Villiers said that Suryakumar will have to forget the expectations placed on him. “It’s not a bad thing to come down a level and spend a little time before going out again. You can’t always get 100 off 40 balls, it’s not always going to happen. That’s something I love with the Chinnaswamy crowd.” Had to learn the hard way, I was expected to score a hundred in every game. I had to say to myself sometimes, you know what’s true AB, you’re not reading the ball too much. Just make sure you Go run-a-ball and give strike to Virat or turn someone else on. And then slowly and surely I get a good shot and then I’m back in the game.”
“There is always a sign when you are in good form; The bowler will have a bad delivery or you will hit a good straight drive and then you can say wait, I am back in form and bowlers get hurt. You just have to manage the gears I call them the gears between first and fifth, where I am at the moment’. He’s probably in second gear at the moment. Respect the fact that you are in second gear, find a way to reach third and you can push from there,” de Villiers said.
(with inputs from agencies)
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