Virat Kohli has not only been consistent in IPL 2026 but has also raised his strike rate. In eight innings so far, Kohli has scored 351 runs at a strike rate of 162.50. If one looks at his past IPL seasons, his strike rate has rarely crossed 160. In only two seasons has his strike rate gone above 150 – in 2016 and 2024. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar says that Kohli’s improved strike rate may have something to do with the criticism he has received.
“This is, again, going to rile up Virat Kohli fans. We have seen Virat Kohli bat differently, bat superbly this season – at a strike rate of 140-150. This is the same Virat Kohli; there is nothing that has changed,” Manjrekar told Sportstar.
“It is only that he has decided that he is going to bat quicker. And why has he decided that? Because he could see the pressure building and people talking about him batting a little too slowly.”
Manjrekar added that Kohli has been playing with a lot more freedom for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in recent times, as have the other batters in the team.
“This 150 strike rate was 125-130 three to four years back. It was only because Virat Kohli would hit a boundary and then pick up a one or a two. After all, he wanted to extend his innings and play longer because he felt he had to be the man to bat for most of the innings and didn’t trust the batters down the order,” Manjrekar said.
“RCB changed when Virat Kohli, at the top, started batting quicker and didn’t make himself indispensable. That is when the others also blossomed,” Manjrekar added.
Meanwhile, Kohli delivered an inspiring address to students during the inauguration of a cricket academy at the Delhi Public School in RK Puram on Tuesday, stressing the importance of clarity, honesty, and dedication in pursuing one’s ambitions and urging young minds to stay true to their dreams and back them with unwavering commitment.
Kohli, along with his childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma and DDCA president Rohan Jaitley inaugurated a West Delhi Cricket Academy Branch on Tuesday.
While addressing students during the event, the batting stalwart shared his personal journey and experiences. Kohli admitted that returning to a school setting to speak felt unfamiliar, but said he could relate closely to the students, having once stood in their place.
“Thank you for having me. I’m not used to speaking in schools, so this is going to be a bit awkward for me because I moved away from the school setup long ago for cricket, and that’s what I’m going to talk about. I understand the environment of a school. I’ve been through the same process and stage that all you kids are a part of right now. And I can just share from my own experience how my focus and priority changed very early on in my life. What I want to say is, a school is a place where you come to learn, you come to grow, you become better people,” Kohli said in his address.
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