Virat Kohli shows why there’s no one-size-fits-all even in T20 Cricket
For much of the past few months, we have heard that the anchor role has been done away with in T20 cricket. And yet, each time Virat Kohli plays a match-winning knock for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the debate returns. Kohli scored a third of the runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Chasing a total of 203, he contributed a third of the runs and remained unbeaten on 69. The question is whether it is relevant how many he scored, or whether what matters is that he steered the chase and won the game for RCB.
The truth is that all that matters is winning the game. RCB did so in 15.4 overs, with Kohli mastering the chase and guiding the younger players, including Devdutt Padikkal, who played a blinder, to reach the target with relative ease. When Padikkal was in full flow, all Kohli did was give him the strike – absolutely the right thing to do. At one point, Padikkal was on 34 off 11 balls and Kohli on 7 off 6. But, does it matter? Or is it not correct that he was simply doing what was required at the time for his team? There is no one-size-fits-all formula in cricket, and we have seen that far too often, even with Bazball.
I have to say I enjoyed watching Kohli bat. He looked committed and hungry. He was aware of the game situation and ensured there was no stutter at any point. At the same time, he did not let the net run rate suffer, which can prove crucial at the end of the season. In every sense, it was an innings worth the while. And yes, he did play the anchor. So when we say that such roles have gone out of vogue and that there is no place for them in T20 cricket, the truth is that there is always a place for class. In any format, under any conditions, class will always have a role.
Over the years, Kohli has evolved his T20 batting into a perfect blend of aggression and game awareness. He does not always attack – and frankly, that is not always necessary. RCB were chasing 203, not 255. In this day and age of T20 cricket, 203 is around par, or even slightly below par, on good batting pitches. Kohli knew exactly what was required and executed it to perfection. In fact, Padikkal made his task easier by playing a brilliant innings of 61 and dominating the powerplay. That is why partnerships are key. Padikkal was the aggressor, while Kohli played the supporting role. It was not about who dominated, but about what helped the team.
I know the next generation of cricketers will grow up wanting to play a high-risk, high-reward game. However, they should watch this innings from Kohli and realise that cricket will never be one-dimensional. There will always be layers, and the truly great players will have the ability to adapt and respond to the situation at hand. It was wonderful to see Kohli bat the way he did, for the layers within an innings are what make cricket the sport that it is.
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