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.

Virat Kohli celebrates his century during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between India and Bangladesh in Pune, on Oct. 19, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Virat Kohli’s last World Cup hundred had come in 2015 against Pakistan at Adelaide and he was determined to make it count against Bangladesh on October 19.

Thousands of fans watched with bated breath as Kohli completed his 48th ODI century. K.L. Rahul helped his iconic teammate get to the three-figure mark by refusing singles and letting Kohli score the 25-odd runs to complete his century.

Kohli, who with 48 hundred is now just one short of legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 49 tons, cheekily apologised to teammate Ravindra Jadeja for “stealing” what could have been a sure-shot player of the match award for Saurashtra all-rounder.

Jadeja, who returned with figures of 2/38 on a batting belter along with a stunning catch at point would have got that trophy on any other day.

“Sorry for stealing it (the player of the Match award) from Jaddu. I wanted to make a big contribution. I have made fifties in World Cups, wanted to finish it off this time,” Kohli said at post-match presentation ceremony.

In fact, Bangladesh bowlers presented Kohli with a couple of free-hits and he couldn’t stop cracking a joke about it.

“I was telling Shubman that even if you dream about this situation, you go back to sleep. It was a dream start. It just calms you down.” The master chaser admitted that it was a great strip to bat on.

“The pitch was good, allowed me to play my game— hit the gaps and find the boundaries whenever I could.” The team is gelling well, said the elder statesman of the team.

“There is great atmosphere in the dressing room. The spirit is there for everyone to see. You need to create some momentum in the changing room to come out and play like this,” he added.