.jpg?type=hq)
Virat Kohli for RCB - (Source: AP)
On Saturday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals locked horns in afternoon game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. It was a special occassion and fans turned up in thousands to see their idol Virat Kohli in action.
Chinnaswamy Stadium hosted 100th game in IPL, becoming the first venue to do so. On the special day, Virat Kohli showed intent and got off to a quick start.
The right-handed batter looked good and scored 19 (13), which featured three fours. However, his aggressive intent backfired and returned to the pavillion for a low score.
Virat Kohli Earns Praise For Attacking Cricket
Over years, one criticism that has constantly come towards Virat Kohli is his strike-rate. For the unversed, the right-handed batter has never scored a fifty for RCB in less than 26 balls, which speaks a volume about his criticism.
Even in the match against Mumbai Indians, Virat Kohli recieved a lot of flak for scoring 50 (38) on a flat track. Following that match, Virat made it a point to bat aggressively, which has earned fans' praise.
In the last match against LSG, Virat Kohli missed out on a well-deserved fifty and scored 49 (34). Interestingly, he scored the first 35 runs off just 15 balls.
Virat Kohli Saves Best Version For IPL 2026
Amid the debate over Virat Kohli's strike-rate, there is an interesting stat that has popped up, which might shut the RCB veteran's critics. Interestingly, Virat saved his finest form for IPL 2026 as his aggressive intent has surged massively over the past five seasons.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Final Venue All But Confirmed
For the unversed, Virat Kohli's aggressive shot percentage in 2021 was around 40%. However, it has increased to 72.8% in IPL 2026, which tells that the right-handed batter is keeping up well with the modern demands of the game.
Virat Kohli’s Attacking Shot % in IPL since 2021
- 2021 - 40.6 %
- 2022 - 50.3 %
- 2023 - 62.5 %
- 2024 - 64.3 %
- 2025 - 68.0 %
- 2026 - 72.8 %
Virat Kohli's IPL 2026 So Far
Shedding light on Virat Kohli's IPL 2026 season, the 37-year-old has got off to a perfect start and also held the orange cap briefly. Talking about his numbers, Virat has 247 runs in six innings, averaging 49.40.
Also Read: Romi Bhinder's Penalty Doesn't Sit Right With IPL Boss, Full Ban Demanded
Most importantly, Virat Kohli has been batting with a strike-rate of 157.32. Interestingly, it is his best strike-rate in any IPL season, which also proves his rise in the attacking shot%.
Talking about the ongoing match, at the time of writing this article, RCB are 149/6 after 16.3 overs. The Rajat Patidar-led side got off to a flyer but Delhi Capitals put breaks on the scoring rate.
Follow RCB vs DC Live Updates For Each And Every Detail Of The High-Octane IPL 2026 Clash
.jpg?type=mq "LizLaz breaks silence on Virat Kohli")
