Virat Kohli showed he still has fire in the belly as he steered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to victory against Punjab Kings in the IPL on Monday.
Kohli hit a well-paced 77 from 49 balls to help Royal Challengers chase down a target of 177 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium - their home ground.
It was a far from routine innings for Kohli as it showed he still had the hunger to succeed in the T20 format; his spot in India's T20 side has come under the scanner recently, with a growing belief that the team has too many 'anchors' and not enough power hitters.
The T20 World Cup begins in June in the Caribbean and the US - right after the IPL. And if Kohli has a bumper season, he would be an automatic selection, especially since national captain Rohit Sharma reportedly wants Kohli in the team.
Kohli averages more than 50 in T20 internationals and has a strike rate of almost 140, but still faces questions over his scoring rate. On Monday, the 35-year-old said he still has what it takes to succeed in the format.
"I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But, I've still got it, I guess," Kohli said in his post-match conference.
The former captain was referring to suggestions by some experts and former players that Kohli needs to be a part of the 2024 T20 World Cup in order to promote the game in North America.
Kohli hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 49-ball knock as Bengaluru chased down the target with four balls to spare.
The star batsman fell to fast bowler Harshal Patel in the 16th over and soon Bengaluru lost another wicket before Dinesh Karthik (28) and impact substitute Mahipal Lomror (17) steered the team home by adding of 48 off just 18 balls.
Kohli returned to competitive cricket in the IPL after taking a two-month break for the birth of his second child. When asked about his extended paternity break, Kohli said time away from India had helped him reconnect with his family and move away from the spotlight.
"We were not in the country. We were at a place where people weren't recognising us," said Kohli.
"Just to feel normal for two months was a surreal experience. I was telling the guys that the voices got that much louder (back home) which wasn't the case for the last two months. It was amazing to be another person on the road."
On Monday, Kohli also became the third batsman after Chris Gayle and David Warner to score 100 or more fifty-plus knocks in T20 cricket.
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Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Brief scoreline:
Wolves 3
Neves 28', Doherty 37', Jota 45' 2
Arsenal 1
Papastathopoulos 80'
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
