BENGALURU: Since anchoring Royal Challengers Bangalore’s maiden intense pulsed light Won the championship last season, Virat Kohli Always maintaining a bossy form. He has scored 821 runs in nine ODIs and two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, with his lowest score being 23 against New Zealand at Rajkot since Australia’s return in back-to-back Ducks.In an era of ruthless scheduling, Kohli essentially operates as a one-format (ODI) international. However, there was no trace of rust on Saturday night when T20 cricket returned to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium for the first time since last season’s final.
The 37-year-old looked completely in rhythm, continuing the touch he had in his last game – a 124 against New Zealand in January – with his unbeaten 69 off 38 balls to lead RCB to a six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was a knock built on a controlled attack, starting with Jaydev Unadkat’s crisp boundary, all the way to midfield and then progressing through calculated acceleration.At the post-match press conference, captain Raja Patidar called him the “number one chase master”.Kohli credits his preparation for his recent ODI run and smooth transition.“The way I’ve been batting in the one-day series recently has helped me keep the momentum going. I’ve been doing enough physical training behind the scenes with my fitness. As long as I’m in rhythm, things will go smoothly,” said Kohli, RCB’s leading run-scorer (657 runs) last season.He also emphasized the importance of taking breaks during a busy schedule.“I’ve played a lot of cricket over the last 15 years and I’m always at risk of burnout, not undercooking. These breaks help me stay fresh and excited. Whenever I come back, it’s 120 percent,” the opener said.Fitness is still the foundation“As long as you’re healthy and mentally excited, everything will fall into place and you’ll be able to contribute to the team.”Despite his high status, Kohli stressed the need to win the seat.“You don’t want to keep a spot. You want to keep performing and keep putting in the effort for the team,” he said after being dismissed by Harshal Patel’s Heinrich Klaasen in the 29th.
