‘Scrutiny was absolutely ridiculous’ – AB De Villiers breaks silence on criticism over Virat Kohli’s strike-rate for RCB in IPL 2024

Former South African star AB De Villiers has come out in huge support of his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate Virat Kohli. The 36-year-old had to face a lot of criticism over his team's strike-rate in the 2024 IPL season. Kohli was the best batter with over 700 runs that helped RCB reach the playoff stages. 

During his chat on JioHotstar, the former RCB batter said, “The scrutiny over Virat’s strike rate was absolutely ridiculous. He had done exactly what his team needed from him. It’s all about the situation. When he has someone at the other end he trusts, you see him experiment and play with more freedom. But when that’s not the case, he stays true to his natural game - anchoring the innings when needed.”

Graeme Smith who was part of the panel along with Shane Watson and Scott Styris said, “The criticism surrounding Virat’s strike rate last season was completely unfair. He had single-handedly carried RCB’s batting line-up, which is a massive responsibility, especially when others around him weren’t delivering.”

AB De Villiers wants Virat Kohli to win the IPL to cap off perfect career

During the course of the chat on JioHotstar, Scott Styris chimed in and said that while Kohli batted with aggression in the powerplay, the same intent was missing in the latter stages. “Kohli’s strike rate was never an issue during the power-play. The challenge came after that, where he needed to shift gears and be more aggressive,” said Styris. 

Australia former World Cup winner Shane Watson also added, “He knew that if he doesn’t increase his scoring rate, if he doesn’t allow himself more freedom at the crease instead of playing it safe, he risks being left behind in the modern T20 game."

AB De Villiers during his chat on the same channel said that Kohli batted well in IPL 2024 and deserved to win the title. RCB along with Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings are the only three teams from the original IPL season that are yet to win the league. 

Foemer South African star said, “It’s great to see him stepping out of his comfort zone, trying new shots, and exploring different aspects of his game. He’s always had that ability in him. You can see how much it means to him. Winning the IPL with RCB would be the perfect finishing touch to his already phenomenal career.”