IPL 2022: When You Go In As Opener, You Go With A Blank Mind - Parthiv Patel Wants Virat Kohli To Open In IPL 2022
Published - 26 Apr 2022, 01:47 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:08 AM
Former Indian wicket-keeper batter Parthiv Patel feels Virat Kohli needs to open the innings for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2022 as he hopes to defeat his unfortunate run. As per Patel, the former RCB captain will want to bat freely at the top of the order since he wouldn’t need to play as indicated by the game circumstance.
Kohli has had a repulsive run in IPL 2022 up to this point. In eight matches, he has scored just 119 runs at an average of 17 and a strike rate of 122.68. In RCB’s last two games, he has been dismissed for first-ball ducks.
Virat Kohli Has Not Gone Through Such Phase Before: Parthiv Patel
The 33-year-old will be in action when RCB faces the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Pune on Tuesday. Previewing the game on Cricbuzz, Patel asked the Bangalore franchise to open the innings with Kohli. Making sense of his reasons, he said:
“When you go in as opener, you go with a blank mind as you are starting from 0-0. No one has scored more runs than Virat Kohli at No.3 for India. But he has not gone through such a phase before. As an opener, one doesn’t have to play according to the game situation. You are not thinking that ‘the score is 10 for 1, so I have to play accordingly’.”
Backing the former RCB captain to overcome his poor run, Patel asserted:
“Virat would have not left any stone unturned as far as preparations are concerned. Runs are not far away. A change of luck or number could hopefully help him.”
The star player opened the innings with Devdutt Padikkal last season. Also, when he amassed a record 973 runs during the 2016 season, he opened the innings for Bangalore.
Virat Kohli Is Due A Big Score: Ravi Shastri
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri is sure that Kohli can beat the trench he regards himself as in. He, in any case, encouraged the striving player to show some tolerance. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, he said:
“Virat Kohli is due a big score and he must stay patient at the start, play grounded shots, avoid taking the aerial route for the first 8-10 runs. If he regains his rhythm, the runs will start coming. I have no doubt that the runs will start flowing. But he has to give it time.”
The 33-year-old has registered the highest score of 48 in IPL 2022, which came in the match against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 9. RCB will be facing RR in their next clash on 26 April.
