Virat does not have the same power as Maxwell and De Villiers – Gautam Gambhir

Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper, has been successful in the powerplay but the veteran of the game has struggled to pace his innings in the middle overs. He has got starts in almost all the games but failed to convert them into big ones.

When former cricketer Gautam Gambhir was asked about the form of RCB skipper, he said: “It depends on the wicket and probably the reason is Maxwell and de Villiers’ ability to accelerate. He also feels that he can play the anchor’s role in the second half of the innings and that’s not his natural game.

“So that’s the reason why he is most successful when he opens the batting so that he can use the first six overs and get the momentum and continue batting while someone else from the other end can accelerate,” Gambhir was quoted as saying to ESPNcricinfo.

The right-handed batter has scored 110 runs in the power play for RCB but he has managed just 49 runs in the middle overs.

Gambhir further added that the strike rate in T20 cricket is overrated and Virat’s natural game is to bat till the end.

“If he goes outside his natural game then it would be difficult for him as he doesn’t have the same power and skill of de Villiers and Maxwell. But again, you need all kinds of players in your XI. You can expect Kohli to have a 600-run season, but you can’t expect Maxwell to have a 500-run season,” he stated.