On Sunday, IPL 2024 saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) face off at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in a crucial clash in the race for the playoffs.
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Batting first, RCB put up 187/9 thanks to a couple of big contributions from Rajat Patidar (52) and Will Jacks (41). In reply, DC's chase never got going as they slipped to 30/4 before eventually falling 47 runs short.
'Don't needle him' - Matthew Hayden warns RCB's IPL 2024 opponents that Virat Kohli is a 'wounded athlete'
The start of the RCB innings saw Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis open the batting. The former took the early initiative, smashing his way to a quickfire 27 off 12 balls before being dismissed by Ishant Sharma.
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Former Australian great Matthew Hayden spoke about Kohli and the recent criticism he has faced for his strike rate in T20 cricket, claiming that the jabs have only fired him up to improve his game even at this stage of his career. Speaking on Star Sports ahead of RCB's previous game, Hayden had said,
I understand from a fan's point of view that Virat Kohli has copped a bit of criticism around the strike-rate. It'll always be the case because, he's a very conventional cricketer. Like all great champions, if there is something out there in the media or there's something where you can feel yourself to improve, then you get about making your business to do so.
And I sense that that's exactly what's happened to Virat Kohli this season. So, I love the way that it's fueled his fire and fueled some improvement and, you know, look out. A dangerous athlete is one that's been wounded. So, guys that are of that kind of quality, if you try and needle them, all they do is get better.
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Kohli hit the headlines when he took the chance to hit back at his critics after RCB's match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. His form in the second half of this season has been stunning, with his last seven innings yielding 342 runs at a strike rate of over 170.
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