“You need to have professionalism”: Virat Kohli highlights the importance of rotating the strike

In RCB’s thrilling clash against DC on Sunday in Delhi, Virat Kohli showcased his trademark composure, leading RCB to a vital six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals. Chasing a target of 163, Kohli’s 51-run innings anchored the chase, forming a crucial 119-run partnership with Krunal Pandya, who hit 73 unbeaten. After RCB’s victory, Virat Kohli underlined the importance of taking the game deep. 

“It was a top win, especially looking at the surface. We saw few games here but this wicket played different to the other games. Whenever there's a chase on or there's a situation I go in, I keep checking with the dugout whether we are on course, what is my role, what is the kind of innings I need to play. It was a top win, we were under pressure, 3 for 26 and then me and Krunal getting a 100-run partnership,” Kohli said after the match.

Kohli further stressed on the importance of rotating the strikes by having singles and doubles. 

"The total on the board. What the conditions are like. Who are the bowlers that are due to bowl. Who are the bowlers that are going to be hard to get away. So, I try and make sure that my singles and doubles don't stop. And then you keep getting the odd boundary in between. The game never gets stagnant. So, that's always been my focus to keep working on rotating strikes, singles and doubles.”

"People, I think, are forgetting the importance of stitching in a partnership or going deep into the innings in T20 cricket. And I think this year around, you're seeing that you can't just come out and tee off from ball one. You need to have professionalism, to read the situation and try and get into a position where you can start dominating the bowlers. And for that, you need to string in a partnership. And it won't come easy on a slow pitch if you don't know how to rotate the strike. So, yeah, that's pretty much my method.”

"I analyse the conditions, understand what the score on the board is, understand what the situation demands of me and have the skills to kind of keep rotating the strike and not be stagnant on one end."