IPL 2024: Sunil Gavaskar lashes out at Virat Kohli, Star Sports; here's why

The controversy over Virat Kohli's strike rate was raised again during RCB vs GT match and this time India legend Sunil Gavaskar critises the star India batter and host broadcaster Star Sports

India legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar lashed out Virat Kohli and IPL broadcaster Star Sports over the RCB batter's comment on outside noise. 

The controversy dates back to April 27, when Virat Kohli slammed Gujarat spinners and remained unbeaten as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) overhauled a total in just 16 Overs. 

While talking to commentators after the match Kohli said: "All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff."

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Kohli's comment again gets a light in the air during the reverse fixture between RCB and GT. But this time it was Sunil Gavaskar who explained the point of view of his fellow broadcasters, saying commentators questioned only when his strike rate was 118."

"If you come and open and then have a strike of 118 when you get out in the 14th or the 15th over, I mean, if you want applause for that, that’s a little bit different. That’s different, " Gavaskar added.

Why Virat Kohli's strike rate is a talking point?

With changing dynamics of shortest format of the game, the strike rate of batters in the T20 cricket take the importance not the average. Kohli being a traditional player, who plays all the three formats of the game, failed to live up to the expectations of the T20 cricket on some occassions. However, Kohli has been improving hitting skills in T20 cricket. 

Gavaskar on Kohli's outside noise

Gavaskar even criticised Kohli for commenting on the outside noise, which players say they can't care it about.

“All these guys talk about, ‘oh we don’t care about outside noise’. Accha! Then why are you replying to any outside noise or whatever it is. We all played a bit of cricket, not a lot of cricket."

Gavaskar added that commentators don't have any agenda and only spoke about things happening on a cricket field.

"We don’t have agendas. We speak about what we see. We don’t necessarily have any likes and dislikes. Even if we have likes and dislikes, we actually speak on what is happening,” said Gavaskar.

Gavaskar on broadcast Star Sports

Gavaskar didn't spare the TV broadcaster Star Sports on air and lambasted on them, saying "For you to show the person belittling your own commentators, I’m not sure that’s a great thing."

"I hope Star Sports realises that when that clip is shown, questioning the critics, the critics are your own commentators. You need to realise you have shown it enough times, everybody’s got the message. I would be very disappointed if you show it once more, " Gavaskar concluded.

So what is the strike rate of Virat Kohli in T20 Internationals and Indian Premier League?

Virat Kolhi is the highest run-getter in the history of Indian Premier League. He has scored 7805 runs in 248 matches at an healty average of 38.75. He has smashed record 8 centuries in world's biggest cricket league However, his strike rate is in early 130s.

Kohli is also the highest run-getter in T20 International cricket. He has amassed 4037 runs at an staggering average of 51.75 in 117 matches, hitting one century and 37 fifties. Again, his strike rate is below-par according to T20 standards, which is 138.15.

Virat Kohli key stats in T20Is and IPL
Format	Matches	Innings	Not out	Runs	Highest score	Average	Ball faced	Strike rate	Hundreds	200	50	4s	6s
T20I	117	109	31	4037	122	51.76	2922	138.16	1	0	37	361	117
IPL	248	240	37	7805	113	38.45	5952	131.13	8	0	54	691	258

Is Indian team management bothered about Virat Kohli's strike rate going into the T20 World Cup?

After the announcement of India squad for T20 World Cup 2024, most cricket pundits have been talking of Virat Kohli strike rate.

However, the Indian team management is not bothered about that. While talking to media persons, India chief selector Ajit  Agarkar said: "We haven’t been discussing it. He has been in great form in IPL. No concerns there at at all."