RCB vs RR: "You Can't Just Be Strolling" - Matthew Hayden Slams Virat Kohli And Faf Du Plessis For Their Lackluster Approach In Middle Overs vs PBKS

Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis have once again showcased their impressive opening partnership skills in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. The duo put together a century partnership for the second time this season. Despite their success, criticism arose from commentators including Matthew Hayden, Rohan Gavaskar, and Simon Doull over the pair’s slow scoring rate during the match against the Punjab Kings.

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Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis took 16.1 overs to score 137, which left RCB’s middle order under immense pressure to accelerate the run rate. Consequently, RCB only managed to score 174 for 4.

Also Read: PBKS vs RCB: “You Cannot Afford To Take The Game Deep” – Virat Kohli Speaks On Bangalore’s Win Over Punjab Kings

The game at Mohali saw Faf du Plessis played solely as a batsman due to an injury, and he did an admirable job, scoring at a strike rate of 150.

However, Virat Kohli, who was leading RCB in this match, had a tough time finding his rhythm. Despite scoring 59 runs off 47 balls, the former Indian captain’s strike rate was only 125, which was considerably lower than du Plessis’.

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They Have To Trust Their Long Batting Line-up: Matthew Hayden Questions Virat Kohli And Faf Du Plessis’ Approach

Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden who was present in the commentary panel during the duo’s century stand said Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis should not have wasted so many deliveries in the middle overs.

Also Read: PBKS vs RCB: All-Round Performance From Bowlers Following Virat Kohli & Faf Du Plessis’ Century Partnership Seal RCB A Much-Needed Win

“Can’t waste balls, even when one of these two decides to bat till the last five overs, the other has to go, can’t just be strolling around. They will have to trust their long batting line-up.”

Matthew Hayden continued and compared Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis with CSK’s MS Dhoni to highlight the importance of the strike rate in T20 cricket.

Also Read: CSK vs SRH: “If MS Dhoni Is Fit He Can Play” – Sarandeep Singh Speaks On Chennai Super Kings Skipper’s Future In IPL

“This is where the matrix of the game is largely not recognisable in terms of batting strike rate. It is so fundamental in T20 cricket, especially at the back end. You talk about the impact players in this IPL, the guys have won matches and sides can never afford to be lured into this false sense of security by batting just securely in partnership. The emphasis will always have to be on scoring quickly. Look at MS Dhoni, who was striking at 400 in one match,”

Despite his strong strike rate against pace, Virat Kohli struggled against spin during RCB’s recent IPL match against PBKS. Out of 21 balls faced against spin, Kohli was unable to score off nine of them, ultimately recording a strike rate of just 76 and contributing to RCB’s slow overall run rate.

Fortunately for RCB, the team were able to secure a comfortable victory thanks to an outstanding performance by Mohammed Siraj with the ball. The right-arm pacer was in top form, picking up 4 wickets for just 21 runs and playing a major role in helping RCB bowl PBKS out for 150, securing a 24-run win for the team.

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