'He's not the same. Virat Kohli knows he can't hit...': AUS legend explains how Kohli has changed

Heading into IPL 2024, there were a lot of doubts and questions being raised over Virat Kohli’s future in T20 cricket. But Virat Kohli has shut a lot of his critics as by scoring 634 runs in 12 IPL innings for Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season. 

Virat Kohli’s fantastic outing vs Punjab Kings in which he scored 92 runs in 47 balls saw RCB keep their playoff hopes alive as they moved to seventh spot with 10 points. Virat Kohli’s performance not only with the bat but also in the field earned a lot of plaudits from former who hailed the former Indian Cricket Team captain for reinventing his game in T20s. 

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Tom Moody explains how Virat Kohli reinvented himself

Former Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody admitted that Virat Kohli is not the same player that he was in his younger years and that age is catching up to him. But he has got that great ability to still continue to impact winning because he is well prepared for the competition. 

“It's quite remarkable, especially considering he's not the same as the vintage Virat Kohli, but he's also not 21 anymore…From what we took from his post match interview, you can see how has learnt how to manage how he prepares for a competition now," said Tom Moody on Star Sports. 

Tom Moody further said that Virat Kohli’s longevity at the top level is completely down to his ability to train at a very high level. Kohli puts in a lot of efforts to improve in the nets. 

"He knows he can't hit as many balls and train as hard as he used to, but he's still training alright. He's still training on how to improve on his performances. We talk about the sweep slog, how he's brought that back out against spin, and hasn't that been a really effective weapon for him in those middle overs,"

Another key feature in Virat Kohli’s greatness is his fitness. RCB were in a spot of bother in the match last night when Punjab Kings crisis man Shashank Singh was batting. But, Kohli’s burst of energy and ability to knock Shashank Singh out via a direct hit vowed a lot of fans.  

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“"Running in from the deep, throwing himself to the ground, and managing to make the throw from that position is no easy feat. Despite the physical exertion, he’s always running around in the field like no one else. In the middle of the innings of that second innings he still managed to display the focus, enthusiasm, fitness, and agility required to execute a run-out like that,” said Tom Moody. 

Virat Kohli’s form and revival in T20 Cricket during IPL 2024 has come just at the right time as he will be crucial for Team India’s chances to go all the way. 

(With PTI Inputs)