Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has come to the defense of Indian batsman Virat Kohli, calling him one of the greatest players in history and criticizing “data-driven pundits” for their criticism of Kohli’s strike rate.
In a video posted on his official YouTube channel, de Villiers expressed his frustration with the ongoing criticism of Kohli’s strike rate, particularly in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He argued that Kohli’s role in the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team is to play a stabilizing role and that his strike rate should not be the sole measure of his performance.
“Virat Kohli, catching criticism about his strike rate. It’s been going on for way too long and I am sort of fed up with that now. I’m frustrated to say the least. This guy is one of the best players to ever play the game of cricket. He’s incredible in the IPL, he plays a certain role for RCB, and I’ve pretty much had enough of data-driven pundits who keep criticizing this man. When you don’t really have knowledge of the game. How many games of cricket have you played, how many IPL hundreds have you scored?,” de Villiers said.
Kohli’s recent performances in the IPL have silenced some of his critics. In the last game between RCB and Gujarat Titans (GT), Kohli made an impression with his blistering 70*. He was a major factor in Bengaluru’s victory and dismissed the recent discussion regarding his strike rate.
During the game, Kohli achieved a landmark feat during RCB’s clash against GT. He now stands second in the list of players with the most half-centuries while chasing a target, with 24 scores of fifty or above. He is only behind David Warner, who has 35 half-centuries while chasing.
The 35-year-old also tied Warner’s record for the most IPL seasons with 500 or more runs. In an IPL season, Warner and Kohli have both scored 500 runs or more seven times.
Kohli’s performances in the IPL have been a reminder of his class and ability. Despite the criticism he has faced, he remains one of the most respected and feared batsmen in the world.
