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Second-Highest Run-Scorer vs CSK; Virat Kohli Needs A Better Strike Rate To Conquer Chepauk

Bhargav Dixit

In the last decade, Virat Kohli hasn't scored a T20 half-century in Chennai. [Source: @RCBTweets/X]In the last decade, Virat Kohli hasn't scored a T20 half-century in Chennai. [Source: @RCBTweets/X]

Royal Challengers Bengaluru mentor Dinesh Karthik has green-signalled former captain Virat Kohli regarding coming good against Chennai Super Kings’ spinners at the MA Chidambaram Stadium tonight. Citing Kohli’s struggles against spinners across formats lately, there has been a general consensus that “turn” is turning out to be his weakness.

Kohli's spin game Vs CSK

While there is no denying to the fact that Kohli hasn’t been at his best against spin bowlers in the recent years, his performance against CSK’s spinners over the years has not been a concern for his team.

Highest run-scorers in IPL history, Kohli, unsurprisingly, is also the highest run-scorer against spinners. Only batter to score in excess of 500 against Super Kings’ spinners in IPL history, he is also the only one to average 50+ against them. Below are the top five run-scorers in this regard:

Batter
Innings
Runs
Average
Virat Kohli2851051.10
Shikhar Dhawan2335744.62
Rohit Sharma2331339.12
Dinesh Karthik2528841.14
David Warner1523939.83

Virat Kohli Needs To Up His Strike Rate

If there’s a concern, it is around the strike rate. For batters who have played at least 100 deliveries against the spinners of this franchise, Kohli doesn’t feature in the top 15 with respect to the strike rate. In this aspect, his strike rate of 122.49 find him way down the order.

Against all kinds of bowlers across franchises, Kohli’s strike rate of 126.25 against Chennai is the second-worst (min. 300 runs).

Additionally, the 36-year-old player’s strike rate at the Chepauk is also worrying. All in all, Kohli has scored at least 100 IPL runs at 14 different venues. An average and strike rate of 29.46 and 111.01 respectively in Chennai is the second-worst for him. In the last decade, his 146 runs here have come at a strike rate of 104.29.

Kohli, courtesy of his greatness, has the game to prosper across grounds. More than capable of dictating terms on Friday, Kohli will have to better his own record to do the same. Apart from winning multiple contests against the spinners, he will also have to win a major battle against the man standing behind the stumps.

Speaking particularly of Chepauk, the right-handed batter could well be an outlier among all his teammates. If he’s able to score at a brisk pace, RCB can be rest assured of having an advantage in their imminent match.