Star cricketer Virat Kohli has qualified for the IPL final on three different occasions but couldn’t clinch the trophy in either of them. The 2025 edition is another challenge for the 36-year-old and ahead of that, Piyush Chawla analysed Kohli’s game in T20 cricket. Over the years, his strike rate has been heavily discussed, with many former cricketers questioning his intent. However, it never fazed the India international, as he managed to deliver most of the time, including during the T20 World Cup final in 2024.
Piyush noted the importance of having a player who can play the role of an anchor and reminded that he fulfils the role that the team has assigned. He talked about Virat’s stunning numbers in the format and added that the strike rate isn’t a matter of discussion as 130 or 140 isn’t something bad for the player of his role.
“He is somebody who has always delivered for his team. If you see the numbers, the number speaks for itself. And strike rate, we talk about so much. But his strike rate is always good 130 plus, 140. Because you need one player who wants to, you know, as a team management, you want him to hold the one end. And if somebody, like Virat doing the job for the team and that too at a strike rate of 130, that is really good. 130, 140 around. We talk so much without like, you know, thinking about that much about it,” Piyush told ANI.
Nevertheless, he feels that the cricketer will be under some pressure in the following season. Piyush stated that whenever a player of his stature takes the field, its always about his reputation and he wouldn’t want to dampen that in the 2025 season as well.
“But for me, Virat Kohli, even when he will step onto the field, he will be more than, giving his more than 200 per cent. He is putting his body on the line. That is the kind of character Virat Kohli is. He is always full of energy. And he is ready to do something special for the team all the time. And as we talk about pressure, when you step onto the field, whether you are playing, you are retired from T20 cricket, you want to play for your reputation, for your name. So, Virat would not say that there is no pressure. There is always some pressure that butterflies in the stomach,” he added.