Not vintage Virat Kohli anymore for RCB but he's still so remarkable: Tom Moody | IPL 2024

Despite facing the inevitable challenges of aging, Virat Kohli continues to impress on the cricket field with his undiminished zeal and rigorous training regimen, as observed by former Australian cricketer Tom Moody. Kohli, who recently scored a swift 47-ball 92 in a match against Punjab Kings, demonstrated his enduring athleticism and cricketing intellect, notably effecting a crucial run-out with a direct hit from deep mid-wicket.

Speaking on 'Star Sports Cricket Live', Moody expressed his admiration for Kohli's performance, noting the difficulties of maintaining such high levels of fitness and skill with advancing age. "It's quite remarkable, especially considering he's not the same as the vintage Virat Kohli, but he's also not 21 anymore. So, that's brilliant what he's done there," Moody remarked. He praised Kohli's exceptional effort in the field, emphasizing the difficulty of executing a perfect throw from a challenging position.

Kohli's impressive season statistics further underline his significant contribution to his team, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). With a total of 634 runs at an average of 70.44 from 12 matches, Kohli leads the charts, with Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad trailing at a distant second.

Moody highlighted Kohli's dual role as both a batsman and a dynamic fielder. "He's not just a fielder; he's also contributed with the bat, scoring 92 runs and spending considerable time out in the middle. Despite the physical exertion, he’s always running around in the field like no one else. In the middle of the innings of that second innings he still managed to display the focus, enthusiasm, fitness, and agility required to execute a run-out like that," Moody explained.

In his post-match comments, Kohli shared insights into his adapted playing strategy, particularly his use of the slog-sweep to counteract spin bowling effectively. "From what we took from his post-match interview, you can see how he has learnt how to manage how he prepares for a competition now," said Moody. He noted that although Kohli has had to adjust his training intensity, he remains committed to enhancing his performance through focused practice sessions.

Kohli's strategic adaptations and his resurgence in form have sparked a late-season rally for RCB, with the team securing four consecutive victories after a series of six losses. This turnaround has boosted their playoff hopes as they climb to the seventh spot in the standings with two more matches remaining in their league campaign.

Moody summed up Kohli's impact succinctly: "The way he batted tonight, you'd pay the big bucks to watch him every day of the week and it's great to see him in this type of form."

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(With PTI inputs)