Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has added that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opener Virat Kohli used chances the Punjab Kings (PBKS) gave him in their IPL 2024 clash in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 9. Ashutosh Sharma dropped him before at 0. Rilee Rossouw then lost the chance when he was on 10. Kohli then scored a 47-ball 92 as the visitors set a massive 242-
run target and eventually restricted PBKS to 181 as well.
Reflecting on RCB’s batting in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “Kohli opened and it seemed like the Punjab players ate paranthas with a lot of butter and then forgot to wash their hands. Who drops so many catches? Everyone was dropping catches – easy, easy catches. As the saying goes, if you drop so many catches, you drop the match.”
“If you give Virat Kohli one lifeline, he makes your bharta (mashes you) if you are a brinjal. If you give him two lifelines, you seldom live to tell the tale, and that’s what happened. The catches might have been slightly difficult but the one at cover was a regulation catch,” the former India opener further added. “So Kohli scored 92 runs off 47 balls at a ferocious strike rate of 195. Dharamsala’s hills are super cool and Virat Kohli in this match was paisa vasool (worth the money). How well he batted, everyone should applaud him along with me. Well done Virat Kohli.”
However, Aakash Chopra also applauded Rajat Patidar for playing another impactful knock. he also added that Cameron Green and Virat Kohli ensured RCB reached a decent total after Patidar was dismissed.
“When Du Plessis and Will Jacks got out, it seemed like things might change suddenly, but Rajat Patidar. He scored 55 runs off 23 balls this time nearly at a strike rate of 240. He has been that kind of a player. Whenever he plays, he has a splendid impact. Rajat Patidar very, very asardar, banda bada imandar. He played very well but then he got out. Cameron Green took it forward from where he left off. He also scored 46 runs off 27 balls and Kohli was hitting non-stop at the other end in any case. Overall, the team reached a score of 241/7,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
