Cameron Green lauded star batter Virat Kohli for playing a “vintage” innings to keep RCB in the race. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Cameron Green lauded star batter Virat Kohli for playing a “vintage” innings to keep Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the race to the IPL playoffs.

Kohli made full use of the three reprieves, including one on zero, to make a 47-ball 92 that set the tone for their 60-run win over Punjab Kings in a must-win match here on May 9.

“He played the vintage Virat that we all know. It was a beautiful watch from the other end. That’s the beauty of having Virat in your team, as opposition you can’t give him that many chances,” said Green in the post-match press meet.

The Australian all-rounder, who helped himself to a 27-ball 46, said Kohli was trying to be aggressive and the drops did not affect him.

“He’s always going to make you hurt, especially if you drop him three or four times. Early in his innings, he was trying to be really aggressive. I think he looked like after a couple of dropped catches, he didn’t have much to lose,” added Green.

The Bengaluru side still need to win their remaining two matches against Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings at home to remain in the mix for playoffs.

Green said the team has done well to win four matches on the bounce after a string of defeats.

“Yeah, I think what we’ve done really well is just look at the next game. I think obviously at the start of the tournament you can always look further at what’s coming up, where are we on the table.”

“But I think that’s the beauty of where we were at (now), we kind of were pushed into a corner and all we could really do was focus on the next game,” he added

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin blamed the dropped catches for his side’s defeat.

The Kings let-off Kohli and Green more than once and they bruised them with quickfire knocks as RCB posted a tall 241 for seven.

In reply, PBKS could only manage 181 before getting bundled out.

“100 percent we lost the match because of dropped catches. If we look through the game, we dropped two guys on a duck, and both of them scored big runs. That was where the game was lost.

“There was not too much difference in the batting and bowling of both teams. The catches we put down cost us the game,” said Haddin.

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne celebrates his half century during South Africa vs Australia match at Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, South Africa on September 7, 2023.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

All-rounder Cameron Green will miss a substantial part of Australia’s Cricket World Cup build-up after being struck on the head by a ball from Kagiso Rabada during the first one-day international against South Africa on Thursday.

An Australia team spokesperson confirmed on Friday that Green will undergo an eight-day concussion protocol during which he will be monitored by the team’s medical staff.

He is unlikely to be available until the fifth and final match in Johannesburg on September 17.

It adds to a list of injury concerns for Australia with the World Cup starting in India on October 5, less than a month away.

It also provides an opportunity for Marnus Labuschagne to press his claims for a call-up if a vacancy opens up in the World Cup squad.

Labuschagne was man of the match on Thursday after batting as a concussion substitute for Green. He made 80 not out to steer Australia to an unlikely three-wicket win.

He went out to bat with Australia 72 for five, which then became 113 for seven chasing South Africa’s 222 all out on a tricky pitch.

Injuries meant that only 11 of Australia’s World Cup squad of 15 travelled to South Africa. Green’s injury reduced that number to ten, which means Labuschagne has a good chance of playing in at least the next three matches, starting with the second game in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Australian captain Pat Cummins is recovering from a wrist injury. Other World Cup players missing the South African tour because of injuries of varying degrees of seriousness are Glenn Maxwell (ankle), Mitchell Starc (groin) and Steve Smith (wrist).

Australia still have a three-match one-day series in India ahead of the World Cup in which injured players can prove their fitness.

Labuschagne was not due to tour South Africa, having been dropped after a sequence of poor form in one-day games. He was added to the squad when Smith withdrew. After his match-winning performance on Thursday he played down his chances of getting to the World Cup.

“I wasn’t too shocked when I was dropped. But I did say (to the selectors) that I still want to be that person batting for you in the middle order. You’ve just got to sit tight and wait for that opportunity and when the opportunity comes you’ve got to be ready.”