IPL 2023: We Didn’t Bat Well Enough, It Was A Good Pitch- Rohit Sharma
While praising young left-handed batter Tilak Varma for his unbeaten 84 off just 46 balls, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma admitted that rest of the batting line-up didn’t bat very well on a pitch which was good to bat upon.
IPL 2023: We Didn’t Bat Well Enough, It Was A Good Pitch: Rohit Sharma. (Image: IPL/BCCI)
Bengaluru, April 3: While praising young left-handed batter Tilak Varma for his unbeaten 84 off just 46 balls, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma admitted that rest of the batting line-up didn’t bat very well on a pitch which was good to bat upon.
Pushed into batting first, Mumbai crumbled to 48/4 and then to 123/7 at one stage, looking in danger of being shot out for a below-par total. But Varma stood tall and impressed everyone with his skill and temperament in hitting nine boundaries and four sixes at a strike-rate of 182.6, as Mumbai got 69 runs from the last five overs.
“Didn’t have a great start but was a good effort from Tilak at the end. But the bowlers didn’t bowl well. We didn’t bat well enough, it was a good pitch. Some of the shorts he played today, he showed a lot of courage.
We wanted to be courageous enough, and hats off to Tilak for getting us to the total. Was a good pitch to bat on. We did not bat to our potential. 30-40 runs would have been ideal. We were struggling to play the catch-up game,” said Rohit in the post-match presentation ceremony.
With the ball, Mumbai’s bowlers were all over the place as Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis smashed half-centuries in a 148-run opening partnership. Though they got two wickets, it was too late by then to avoid a loss in their opening match of IPL 2023.
Rohit refused to use the absence of Jasprit Bumrah as a reason behind lacklustre bowling performance.
“For the past six-eight months I am used to playing without Bumrah. We can’t control things which we can’t control. The other guys are also talented. A lot of the guys haven’t played IPL before. First game of the season, a lot to look forward to,” he said.
Du Plessis, who was named Player of the Match for his 73 off 43 balls, including five fours and six sixes, felt great in playing a part in making a happy homecoming for RCB.
“It’s awesome to play (in M Chinnaswamy Stadium). It’s my first time playing here as a home player, especially batting with Virat Kohli. You have to try and stay with the youngsters. I try to push the old hamstrings so that I can move in the field. To start the campaign with a bang, was huge,” the RCB skipper said.
Faf was also appreciative of the bowlers for ratting Mumbai’s top-order batters in power-play.
“It was a nice way to start the way we did in the powerplay. Siraj with his tail up is a beautiful thing. The bowler stuck to their task,” he said.
“The last two or three overs were a bit of learning. The cutters were working really well, it was not easy to hit the ball. There was value for your shots. Credit to the groundsman. Even the spinners found something,” he added.
Highlights | RCB vs MI, IPL 2023, Match 5: Kohli-du Plessis Star in Bangalore’s 8-Wicket Victory Over Mumbai
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Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians Score: Scintillating half-centuries from Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli powered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a thumping eight-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2023 match, marking a happy homecoming at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Virat Kohli
76* (48) 6×4, 4×6
Glenn Maxwell
12 (3) 0x4, 2×6
Arshad Khan
(2.1-0-22-1)*
Cameron Green
(2-0-30-1)
Highlights | RCB vs MI, IPL 2023, Match 5: Kohli-du Plessis Star in Bangalore’s 8-Wicket Victory Over Mumbai.
LIVE RCB vs MI, IPL 2023: RCB didn’t disappoint at all, as bowlers got wickets in power-play and middle overs to keep Mumbai to 171/7, though young Tilak Varma shined with an outstanding 84 not out off just 46 balls. In reply, du Plessis and Kohli put out an exhibition of majestic stroke-play and rattled Mumbai’s bowling attack to enthral home fans. While du Plessis made 73 off 43 balls, including five fours and six sixes, Kohli was in sublime touch to be 82 not out off 49 balls, laced with six fours and five sixes to chase 172 in 16.2 overs to get their IPL 2023 campaign off to a winning start.
LIVE RCB vs MI, IPL 2023: OUT! Arshad Khan has removed Faf du Plessis ! Mumbai finally have their wicket but it’s too late now. On comes Dinesh Karthik to the crease. RCB 148/1 (15)
LIVE RCB vs MI, IPL 2023: Virat Kohli has completed his half-century!! Faf du Plessis did it just few balls before him and by the form they are in today, just no stopping King Kohli. RCB 117/0 (12.1)
LIVE RCB vs MI, IPL 2023: 3 overs gone, RCB are now at 30/0. Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis get Bangalore off to a brilliant start. Just what the doctor ordered. RCB 30/0 (3)
LIVE RCB vs MI, IPL 2023: Tilak Verma has completed his half-century and have set their sights of crossing the 160-mark. MI 118/6 (16.3)
Bengaluru, April 2: Scintillating half-centuries from Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli powered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a thumping eight-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2023 match, marking a happy homecoming at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, here on Sunday.
As RCB took the field in Chinnaswamy Stadium after 1247 days, chants of the franchise engulfed the whole arena. To their credit, RCB didn’t disappoint at all, as bowlers got wickets in power-play and middle overs to keep Mumbai to 171/7, though young Tilak Varma shined with an outstanding 84 not out off just 46 balls.
In reply, du Plessis and Kohli put out an exhibition of majestic strokeplay and rattled Mumbai’s bowling attack to enthrall home fans. While du Plessis made 73 off 43 balls, including five fours and six sixes, Kohli was in sublime touch to be 82 not out off 49 balls, laced with six fours and five sixes to chase 172 in 16.2 overs to get their IPL 2023 campaign off to a winning start.
In defence of 171, Mumbai brought in Jason Behrendorff as an impact player in place of Suryakumar Yadav to share the new-ball with Arshad Khan. After making a watchful start, du Plessis cut down on the swing by dancing down the pitch to hit a four and two sixes on both sides of the wicket off Behrendorff.
Jofra Archer put down Kohli on his first ball of the match. Kohli then followed it up by placing a steer between backward point and short third man for four, and smacked a six over long-off. Kohli and du Plessis took a boundary each off Piyush Chawla and Archer to bring the fifty of their opening partnership in the power-play.
Du Plessis continued to be unstoppable — timing his drives through the off-side against Cameron Green twice and ended the over with a scooped six to take 17 runs off the eighth over. He welcomed off-spinner Hrithik Shokeen with consecutive sixes over mid-wicket and long-on, first of which took him to his fifty in 29 balls.
Kohli then danced down the pitch to whack Chawla over long-on for six, and bring up the century of the opening partnership in the 11th over, before reaching his fifty in 38 balls. He then welcomed Behrendorff with a pull through cow corner for four, before du Plessis pulled and flicked for four and six respectively.
Kohli hammered sixes off Archer and Arshad through the leg-side to keep Mumbai under the pump. They had a breakthrough when du Plessis holed out to long-on, breaking the 148-run opening partnership. After Dinesh Karthik fell for a three-ball duck, Glenn Maxwell slapped sixes over extra cover and fine leg, with Kohli whipping and lofting for four and six respectively to complete Bangalore’s chase with 22 balls remaining.
Earlier, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley and Karn Sharma starred to reduce Mumbai to 123/7, after being 48/4 at one point. But Varma stood tall and impressed everyone with his skill and temperament in hitting nine boundaries and four sixes at a strike-rate of 182.6, as Mumbai got 69 runs from the last five overs.
Ishan Kishan’s attempt to flick off Siraj took a fat leading edge to short third man. Cameron Green was cleaned bowled by a Topley yorker. Siraj could have had Rohit Sharma caught with a sharp bouncer, but he collided with Dinesh Karthik as neither of the two could hold on to the catch.
But Rohit, who earlier survived a direct hit attempt, was unable to capitalise on the two breathers and nicked behind off Akash Deep. Suryakumar Yadav had a start but ended up cutting straight to backward point off Michael Bracewell.
Despite wickets falling around, Varma continued to match forward. He began with a six over long-on off Deep which came right off the middle of the bat. When Harshal Patel pitched down leg, he came on top of the bounce to pull past short fine leg.
Varma was impressive in facing off-spinners; reverse-sweeping off Bracewell for four. He welcomed Glenn Maxwell by dancing down the pitch to thump a six over long-on, followed by going on backfoot to pull through mid-wicket for four.
Varma was also talking and advising T20 debutant Nehal Wadhera after every ball. That effect rubbed on when Wadhera pulled and smacked Karn Sharma for consecutive sixes, including a 101-m hit over long-on.
But Karn had the last laugh as Wadhera holed out to long-on in the 14th over. Two overs later, Tim David tried to hoick off Karn, but lost his middle stump. With Hrithik Shokeen falling to an athletic catch by Faf du Plessis off Harshal, Varma continued to get runs, pulling off Karn through fine leg for four.
He reached his fifty in 32 balls with a terrific heave over deep square leg for six off Deep. When Harshal gave some width, Varma freed his arms to slash through point for four. He then lofted and pulled Siraj for a brace of boundaries in the 19th over where the fast bowler gave four wides.
Varma pulled Harshal in the gap through square leg for four in the final over, before ending the innings with a helicopter shot to send a fuller delivery over long-on for six, as 22 runs came off the final over.
Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians 171/7 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 84 not out; Karn Sharma 2/32) lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore 172/2 in 16.2 overs (Virat Kohli 82 not out, Faf du Plessis 73; Arshad Khan 1/28, Cameron Green 1/30) by eight wickets.
Rahul Dravid Said Something But I Couldn’t Understand – Virat Kohli on IND Coach’s Advise During T20 WC Game vs PAK
Virat Kohli recalled being zoned out at the halfway mark and hence paid no heed to what coach Rahul Dravid had to say.
Kohli on Dravid (Credits: Johns/Twitter)
Bangalore: Virat Kohli is arguably the best white-ball cricketer of the generation and he gave a glimpse of that during the T20 World Cup last year in Australia against Pakistan. Kohli snatched a win for India from the jaws of defeat. Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 as he took India over the line at Melbourne that night. Asked to recall about what was the plan and what was going through his mind, Kohli says he was in a zone and does not remember anything. He recalled being zoned out at the halfway mark and hence paid no heed to what coach Rahul Dravid had to say.
“I still can’t make any sense of it. That’s a very honest admission. And a lot of people have tried to ask me what were you thinking, how did you plan and I have no answers. The fact of the matter is that I was so much under pressure that my mind had shut off completely by the 12th or 13th over,” Kohli said at a promotional event organised by PUMA.
“I was going through what I was going through, then I came back in Asia Cup and I was playing well and I felt like wow I’m ready to play to play in this World Cup. At the 10th over mark, we were 31 for 4 and I had just ran Axar out. I was 12 off 25, or something. I remember in the break, Rahul bhai came to me and I don’t remember what he said. I swear and I even told him this as well. I told him, ‘I have no idea what you told me in that break because I was zoned out’,” he added.
Virat Kohli-Glenn Maxwell BROMANCE During RCB Net Session Ahead of IPL 2023 Match vs MI Goes VIRAL | WATCH VIDEO
IPL 2023: Maxwell praised Kohli a couple of times and then told him that he had spotted him come down the track in advance and hence changed the length of the ball.
Kohli-Maxwell Bromance
Bangalore: Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell bonded during a net session on the eve of RCB’s IPL 2023 opener versus MI on Sunday evening. Maxwell was bowling to Kohli in the nets. While Maxwell constantly spoke with Kohli after every ball, the ex-India captain looked in ominous touch during the session. Maxwell praised Kohli a couple of times and then told him that he had spotted him come down the track in advance and hence changed the length of the ball. Finally, claiming that it is funny – Kohli said I cannot bat any better.
Here is the video where the two cricketers bond over a net session:
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 1, 2023
Having recorded three consecutive wins against Mumbai Indians in their last five meetings since IPL 2020, the RCB, who are once again in search of their maiden title win in the league, would want to make a winning start in front of their loyal fans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here.
However, it remains to be seen how RCB will cope without players like Rajat Patidar and Josh Hazlewood, who both have been sidelined for at least the first half of this IPL due to injuries. Australian Glenn Maxwell is also unlikely to feature in Sunday’s game.
While England’s Will Jacks will miss the full season, it is to be seen how Maxwell shapes up given that he missed the last two ODIs for Australia against tIndia in the recent series after playing the first match in Mumbai.
IPL 2023: Virat Kohli Cannot Stop Laughing After Faf du Plessis Pronounces RCB Slogan ‘Ee Sala Cup Namde’ as ‘Ee Sala Cup Nahi’ | WATCH
IPL 2023: The ex-South African captain goofed-up and said ‘Ee Sala Cup Nahi’. Kohli, who was seated next to him, was in splits as he could not stop laughing.
Kohli-Faf Bond
Bangalore: On the eve of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s IPL 2023 opener against Mumbai Indians, there was a team event that took place which was attended by the RCB players. During the event, RCB captain Faf du Plessis, who was seated beside Virat Kohli, was asked to say the team slogan, which is ‘Ee Sala Cup Naamde’. The ex-South African captain goofed-up and said ‘Ee Sala Cup Nahi’. Kohli, who was seated next to him, was in splits as he could not stop laughing.
Here is the clip from the event that is now going viral on social space. Take a look:
— Virat Kohli Worldwide (@ViratianTweets) April 1, 2023
Bangalore will take on Mumbai in their IPL 2023 at M. Chinnaswamy on Sunday night. It is expected to be a blockbuster clash. A full house is expected for that one.
Meanwhile, Kohli and Sunil Chhetri for the first time ever converged on a single platform at the ‘Let There Be Sport’ Conclave, organised by sports brand PUMA India. The notable line-up voiced the growing need to prioritise sports and fitness at a mass level and integrating it as a relevant subject in the main curriculum of educational institutions for the development of the country.
RCB vs MI Probable Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bangalore
F du Plessis(C), Virat Kohli, SS Prabhudessai, Michael Bracewell, MK Lomror, GJ Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik, Mohammed Siraj, HV Patel, RJW Topley
Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma(C), Tilak Varma, SA Yadav, Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, H Shokeen, C Green, Ishan Kishan, K Kartikeya, Jofra Archer, JP Behrendorff.
