'He kept connecting with the inner half' - Aakash Chopra on Virat's labored knock against CSK

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) started their 2025 Indian Premier League campaign on a high note, securing victories in their first two matches. Under the leadership of Rajat Patidar, RCB registered a commanding 50-run win against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra acknowledged Virat Kohli’s struggles, noting his lack of fluency despite hitting a six and a four. While the opener usually dictates the game, he struggled for rhythm, but his teammates’ aggressive approach helped the team post 196 despite his labored 31 off 30 balls.

“It was one of those days where no matter how hard you try, you just can’t find the middle of the bat. Kohli kept connecting with the inner half, dragging the ball toward the leg side more often than not. He took a blow to the head, managed a couple of decent strokes a six and a four-but eventually fell playing a lofted sweep to Noor at deep square leg. This wasn’t the fluent knock we’re accustomed to seeing from him, but such days are inevitable. The bigger takeaway is how the team responded, Chopra said on the Match Centre live on JioHotstar.

Despite Virat scoring 31 off 30 balls, RCB still reached 196. That means in the remaining 15 overs, the rest of the team contributed 166 runs. This shift in mindset is crucial. Earlier, Kohli would dictate the pace, and others would play around him-often leaving the team 15 to 20 runs short. But now, even if he struggles, the rest of the lineup continues to attack. With batting depth and players in form, the approach has evolved,” 

Also read: 'There was no home advantage at Chepauk' - CSK coach Stephen Fleming after loss to RCB

Chopra praised MS Dhoni’s exceptional wicketkeeping, calling him the fastest in the game. The cricketer turned commentator highlighted Captain Cool’s unique technique, where his hands move only towards the stumps, defying conventional fielding logic. According to the right-handed batter, no other player can execute stumpings with such precision.  

“He’s simply remarkable. The fastest hands in the game-when we talk about speed, the definition is now ‘fast, faster, MS Dhoni.’ We always say, “Don’t try this at home’ because what he does is truly unique. Fundamentally, in fielding the hands naturally move backward upon receiving the ball to absorb impact. Otherwise, the ball spills out due to the hardness of the hands. But Dhoni defies this logic. His hands move in just one direction-toward the stumps. There’s only one player in the world who can execute that kind of stumping with such precision, and that’s MS Dhoni,” he added.