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Indian Premier League 2021

IPL 2021: Virat Kohli shines yet again with his back to the wall

King Kohli shines yet again under duress with a huge knock against the Chennai Super Kings

RCB captain Virat Kohli [Source: IPL]
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RCB captain Virat Kohli [Source: IPL]

By

Ananth Narasimman

Updated: 24 Sep 2021 6:48 PM GMT

There was a storm brewing in Sharjah, and no, we are not talking about the actual sandstorm outside the ground, but Virat Kohli's brilliant 53-run knock which set up a comfortable total for RCB against a potent CSK bowling lineup in tonight's IPL 2021 clash. Kohli came out with an aggressive mindset and played with an intent to seek and destroy anything that stood between him and his goal. It was a typical Kohli knock as he tore apart the opposing bowling unit with a surgeon's precision and found the boundary at will.

It has been a rollercoaster month for the Indian captain who has had the spotlight on him for all the wrong reasons. At first, India decided to back out from the England tour with the last test to go, and next, it was a highly publicized spat with the BCCI. The latter is rumored to have been a key reason as to why Kohli decided to step down as captain post the T20 World Cup this year. The board and the mercurial batter were not seeing eye to eye and that showed with the way they handled the decision in front of the media.

Kohli, in an interview with BCCI TV, explained the reasons leading to his decision saying that "I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead the Indian Cricket Team to my utmost capability. I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey as the captain of the Indian Cricket Team. I couldn't have done it without them - the boys, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches and every Indian who prayed for us to win. Understanding that workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for the last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian Team in Test and ODI cricket."

"I have given everything to the team during my time as T20 captain, and I will continue to do so for the T20 team as a batsman moving forward. Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai and also Rohit, who has been an essential part of the leadership group, I've decided to step down as the T20 captain after this T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman in October. I have also spoken to the secretary Mr. Jay Shah and the President of BCCI Mr. Sourav Ganguly along with all the selectors about the same. I will continue to serve Indian Cricket and the Indian Team to the best of my ability," he added.
The interview gave insight as to why he felt the need to step down, and despite this, the vultures were at his gate, questioning his captaincy record while comparing that to Rohit Sharma's. Kohli has always been a gentleman off the field and is not the type of player to give in to external pressure, but on some level, it did take a toll on him and, that in turn affected his batting form. Kohli has had a slump in his batting averages compared to his high standards, with him being more passive in his playing style, which is unlike him. His batting form is yet another key reason for him to step away from captaincy as he could now solely concentrate on being the best version of himself without the added pressure, not that he would not welcome it.
In yet another surprising decision, Kohli decided to step down from the captaincy of IPL franchise RCB too. He has led RCB through the good, bad, and the ugly and is a cornerstone in their side, him stepping down stunned ownership and fans alike. This might have led to the added pressure being put on RCB and Kohli to win their maiden IPL trophy before he steps down. Kohli yet again had his back to the wall with the spotlight on him.
Along with Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli brought up a 111-run stand against CSK [Source: IPL]

Knowing the type of player Kohli is, he relishes moments such as these. He performs at his best when they count him out in high-pressure situations, and there is no difference this time around as he will come out on top yet again. One thing every fan of Indian cricket or anyone following would know, do not count Virat Kohli out, ever! This knock won't be an anomaly as he will now start piling up the runs once again.

Royal Challengers BangaloreIPL 2021Chennai Super KingsVirat Kohli
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