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Xtra Time Web Desk: Virat Kohli notched up his eighth IPL century at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, a venue where, until Saturday, he maintained an average of 21. Despite a pitch that initially posed challenges for fluent stroke-making during the IPL 2024 clash against Rajasthan Royals, Kohli spearheaded the RCB charge. Single-handedly, Kohli propelled RCB to a total of 183 for 3 in 20 overs against RR, salvaging what was deemed a par score at best. Carrying his bat through the innings, Kohli amassed 113 runs off 72 deliveries, while the remaining team members managed only 59 runs off 48 balls. RR conceded 11 extra runs to RCB, but Rajasthan effortlessly chased down the target with five deliveries to spare, losing only six wickets in the process.

Despite a shaky start that saw Yashasvi Jaiswal, RR's dynamic opener, dismissed for a duck, RR's Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson capitalized on increasingly favourable batting conditions due to dew. Buttler marked his return to form with an unbeaten century off 58 balls, while Samson contributed with a brisk 69 off 41 balls. While Kohli was trying to understand the pitch and how he played during his time at bat, number experts were busy coming up with statistics. These stats made people talk and gave critics more things to look at when judging Kohli's performance.

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Kohli's century, achieved in 67 deliveries, was the joint-slowest in IPL history and the slowest on Indian soil. His 113 not out off 72 balls marked the most deliveries faced by a batsman in an IPL innings ending in defeat. This milestone surpassed the previous record set in 2009, highlighting the evolution of batting strategies in the format.

In a shifting landscape, recent IPL matches have witnessed staggering run totals, with one team scoring 277, the highest in tournament history, and another team reaching 246 while chasing. With 200 becoming the new benchmark for par scores, RCB's 183 felt insufficient, particularly against a formidable batting lineup. The inadequacy of their total was underscored by the struggles of the RCB bowling unit, widely considered the weakest in IPL 2024.

Kohli: The misunderstood hero or the true villain?

So, the big question arises, Did RCB effectively utilize their batting strength on Saturday? Surely, Virat Kohli scored a century, but doubts surfaced about the speed at which he reached the milestone. Some fans and experts on social media debated whether Kohli's innings hindered the team's progress. There were even ponderings about his suitability at the top of the order for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Was Kohli too slow? Well, the numbers speak for themselves. Was Kohli solely responsible for RCB's loss to RR? Once again, the stats tell the story. It's easy to blame Kohli for his 'slowest' IPL hundred, but the lack of support for the star player from what appears to be a struggling RCB side is evident.

Kohli and the out-of-form captain Faf du Plessis put up 125 runs for the opening partnership in 84 balls. Kohli contributed 72 runs from 51 balls, while the skipper managed 44 runs from 33 balls. Throughout their partnership, Du Plessis failed to complement Kohli's efforts, leaving Kohli to carry most of the load and compensate for his captain's lack of fluency.
Once Du Plessis was dismissed, RCB sent Glenn Maxwell to bat at No. 3. Despite Maxwell's reputation for dismantling strong bowling attacks, he struggled, scoring just 1 run off 3 balls. Instead of experienced finisher Dinesh Karthik or pinch-hitter Mahipal Lomror, RCB opted for debutant Saurav Chauhan, who scored 9 runs off 6 deliveries. Subsequently, Cameron Green was sent in, but he could only manage 5 runs off 6 balls. Kohli found himself shouldering the bulk of the scoring against RR's formidable bowling attack, which boasted talent in both pace and spin departments.

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Undoubtedly, Kohli could have been more aggressive in the powerplay, improving his tally of 32 runs from 25 balls by the end of the 6th over. He also could have helped RCB score more than 4 runs in the 19th over of their innings. Additionally, Kohli could have capitalized on opportunities to turn singles into twos, especially when he was closing in on his century.

IS THE CRITICISM FAIR?

Virat Kohli has been in impressive form this season, scoring 316 runs in 5 matches at a strike rate of 146. Among the rest of the batting lineup, only Faf du Plessis has managed to score more than 100 runs.

Picture Virat Kohli stepping onto the field to open, knowing he has players like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Rinku Singh coming after him. Wouldn't he be inclined to take more risks during the powerplay? We saw glimpses of that against Afghanistan in January.
But let's not panic. Kohli is doing his utmost to carry the weight of an RCB batting unit that's struggling for form. Even his personal best IPL score wasn't enough to cover up for the shortcomings of the team's bowling lineup, managed by a management group that has made several questionable decisions in just 5 matches this season.

While Kohli looks poised to win the Orange Cap for the most runs in the tournament, RCB seems destined to finish in the bottom half of the table. It's a familiar scenario, but it's not entirely Kohli's fault.