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In the forthcoming Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025), Virat Kohli does not need to increase his strike rate, according to legendary South Africa and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter AB de Villiers. Midway through the previous season, Kohi received criticism for his strike rate. The top batter responded to his detractors with a spectacular second half of the season, recording his highest strike rate in an IPL season.
AB de Villiers on Virat Kohli
De Villiers was recently questioned about whether his retirement from T20I would let him bat more freely in the forthcoming campaign. Kohli was cool and collected during the just-finished ICC Champions Trophy 2025, according to the former RCB batter. He added that since the great batsman will be starting with Philip Salt, one of the most explosive batsmen in international cricket, he does not need to improve his strike rate.
“Well, let's hope so, right that number 18 certainly rings a nice tone in my head. And I do feel this squad has got what it takes to go all the way. Yes, Virat has looked very calm and composed in the last while. He seems to be enjoying his cricket. Certainly, in the Champions Trophy, I could clearly watch him, enjoy batting out there. I don't think he's going to have to up his strike rate, guys batting with Phil Salt. I mean, Phil Salt is one of the most attacking players we've ever seen in the IPL and in other tournaments,” said de Villiers on the Star Sports Press Room show while replying to a query from India Today.
De Villiers also commended Kohli's game understanding, stating that he must play smart cricket to be the batting department's leader.
“I think he's gonna take a lot of pressure off Virat. All Virat needs to do is keep doing what he's been doing for so many years, just control the game. He's got the best instinct of any player out there. He knows when to up the ante a bit and when to lower it, when to take more risks and when to take less risk. I think he needs to be the captain of the batting department in this tournament and really just keep things together and play smart cricket because they will be travelling a lot and hopping between venues all the time to make sure they don't find those collapses in the batting order. I think Virat will have to just play smart cricket and he's got a lot of explosive power around him,” he added.
With 741 runs from 15 innings at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69, including one hundred and five fifties, Kohli was the 2024 season's top scorer. In the 2023 season, the RCB opening also scored 639 runs. Therefore, RCB would hope that Kohli's incredible run continues in the next season and that his bat will fulfill the 18th-season prophecy.
