The upcoming IPL 2024 season is eagerly anticipated by fans worldwide. One of the central events of the tournament’s opening will be the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by Virat Kohli, and Chennai Super Kings, scheduled for March 22 at the legendary Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. For Kohli, this match holds special interest and challenge, as per the opinion of former Indian team player Harbhajan Singh. According to him, it has traditionally been a tough task for “Virat Kohli” to deliver stellar performances in this arena. Many cricket enthusiasts and betting enthusiasts will be keenly watching this event. Want to test your ability to predict match outcomes? To do so, choose the best bookmaker that accepts cricket bets in India, providing quality service and competitive odds.
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Phenomenal Statistics of King Kohli
Virat Kohli is rightfully considered one of the brightest stars and greatest batters in the history of the Indian Premier League. Throughout his illustrious IPL career, he has scored an impressive 7263 runs in 237 matches, including seven centuries. His outstanding strike rate of 130.02 places him among the elite batters of all time in the league. However, despite his remarkable achievements, Kohli struggles to replicate the same dazzling results when playing against Chennai Super Kings at their home ground, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, famously known as Chepauk.
Statistics Against CSK at Chepauk
According to official IPL statistics, in 30 matches against the formidable CSK team at Chepauk, Kohli managed to score a total of 985 runs. His best individual score in these encounters is 90 runs. More notably, on the challenging Chepauk pitch, Virat’s average drops to a modest 30 runs, and his usually high strike rate reduces to just 111. Harbhajan Singh, the legendary Indian bowler turned expert, commented on this fact, stating that Kohli’s greatness seems to diminish when comparing his impressive overall stats with his performances on the demanding Chennai pitch.
Challenges of Playing at Chepauk
In a candid interview with Star Sports, Singh explained why, in his opinion, Kohli has struggled to have the same impact at Chepauk as on many other grounds. “It’s a challenging pitch for batting, especially as the first batter, dealing with the peculiar bounce reminiscent of a tennis shot,” noted Harbhajan.
He also highlighted the masterful bowling skills of the Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from CSK, whose mysterious spins can perplex even the most experienced batters. “He makes the ball turn one way and then keeps it low. It’s really a tough task,” Singh remarked, clearly referring to the tricky traps set by Jadeja for the batters.
Opportunity to Turn the Tables
Despite the evident difficulties Kohli faces while playing at Chepauk, Harbhajan Singh believes that the renowned batter has a real chance to turn the situation in the upcoming match against CSK if he can hold his ground on the pitch for a considerable time.
According to the former team player, if Kohli can face around 20 overs, he is more than capable of securing victory for his team. Singh explained that high scores on the more accessible Chinnaswamy pitch in Bangalore do not always guarantee success in the much more challenging and unpredictable conditions at Chepauk in Chennai.
Importance of Recreating the Stellar 2016 Season
Harbhajan Singh also emphasized that it is crucial for Virat Kohli to recreate his stellar 2016 IPL season, where he was at the peak of his form. Back then, Kohli displayed outstanding gameplay, scoring an impressive 973 runs in just 16 matches with an average of 81.08. He also achieved four incredible century partnerships and seven half-centuries.
According to Singh, if Kohli can once again reach such impressive heights of gameplay, it will be a priceless contribution to the success of his team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, giving them a real chance to finally win their long-awaited Indian Premier League title.
“For him, it is very important to have a season like 2016 because if Virat continues to score, the entire team will move forward. I don’t know if they will win the championship or not. But they have a fantastic lineup, with brilliant players like Virat, Maxwell, Green, and a few more stars like Patidar. I believe they have assembled a fantastic team, and all fans hope that Virat can replicate his triumph from 2016,” concluded Harbhajan Singh.
