Fed up with Virat Kohli's strike-rate criticism, ABD slams data-driven pundits

Fed up with Virat Kohli’s strike-rate criticism, ABD slams data-driven pundits

Former RCB batter AB de Villiers has come in defence of Virat Kohli. The legendary former South Africa player has slammed Kohli’s critics who had questioned the batter’s strike rate outside of the powerplay in the Indian Premier League 2024. Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers launched a sensational rant against Kohli’s critics and said that data-driven pundits did not have any knowledge of the game.

Virat Kohli himself had launched an attack after a match-winning knock against GT, where the batter had said that he did not need any advice since he had been executing his role for the last 15 years. Kohli had questioned the mettle of his critics asking how many matches had they won for their team in the tournament. De Villiers supported the batter’s statement and said that he was fed up with the attitude of some of his detractors.

“Virat Kohli, catching criticism about his strike rate. It’s been going on for way too long and I am sort of fed up with that now. I’m frustrated to say the least. This guy is one of the best players to ever play the game of cricket. He’s incredible in the IPL, he plays a certain role for RCB, and I’ve pretty much had enough of data-driven pundits who keep criticising this man. When you don’t really have knowledge of the game. How many games of cricket have you played, how many IPL hundreds have you scored? Virat was quoted saying, ‘All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff. For me, it’s about winning the games for the team, and there’s a reason why I’ve done it for 15 years.’,” AB de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.

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VIRAT BEST AT NO.3: DE VILLIERS

De Villiers said that Kohli had a formula and it was the team management’s responsibility to field players around him and make RCB a successful unit. The former South Africa captain however argued that Kohli’s best position at RCB was at No.3 and that the team should open with Will Jacks and Faf du Plessis.

“He’s been doing it day in and day out guys, has won games for the team, playing in a certain way. He has got a formula and it’s up to the rest of the team, the coach, the captain to strategise around that and personally for me, I spoke about an idea that I have still to this day. As always, I thought that Virat is best at number three. I would still bat him there. He loves opening the batting, and his record speaks for itself. It’s incredible, but I do feel with the makeup of this team, with Will Jacks opening with Faf, it will give them the best opportunity to get a flying start,” AB de Villiers said.

“Virat, he’s got the perfect opportunity to play that cement role that he has for so many years. And his strike rate, by the way, this season, is even better than that record-breaking season he had (2016) not so long ago. So I don’t know where the criticism is coming from, he is batting like a dream at the moment, he’s keeping the team together. He’s allowing guys like World Jacks, like DK to actually go out and express themselves,” concluded the former RCB man.

Virat Kohli is the second-highest run-scorer in this season of the IPL with 500 runs to his name from 10 innings. He has scored at a strike rate of 147.49 so far.