Virat Kohli's IPL 2022 slump: Third golden duck increases concerns of form
While Royal Challengers Bangalore relished a 67-run win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kohli's third golden duck increased concerns about his dwindling form.
Published : May 08, 2022 22:13 IST
Virat Kohli's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season continues to grow from bad to worse. On Sunday afternoon, Kohli slumped to his third golden duck of the season, against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium. While Royal Challengers Bangalore relished a 67-run win over SRH, Kohli's poor return increased concerns about his dwindling form.
After opting to bat first, RCB got off to the worst-possible start as Kohli fell off the very first ball of the innings to left-arm spinner, Jagadeesha Suchith. Kohli attempted a flick off a delivery that was angling down the leg-side and ended up chipping it straight to SRH skipper Kane Williamson at short mid-wicket.
A dejected Kohli then dawdled back to the dressing-room as he suffered his sixth single-digit dismissal this season.
In the previous fixture against the Sunrisers, Kohli was knocked off by left-arm seamer Marco Jansen with a fuller delivery angling across the stumps. The 33-year-old perished of the first ball of his innings as he poked it straight to Aiden Markram at second slip. RCB were then bundled for its second-lowest total (68) as Sunrisers coasted to a nine-wicket in just eight overs.
This was Kohli's second successive golden duck after falling in the first over against the Lucknow Super Giants while walking in at number three.
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In eight innings at the number three slot, Kohli managed 119 runs in eight at a palty average of 17.00 with a high score of 48.
Kohli's poor form prompted RCB to bring him back to his favoured opener's slot. Kohli posted his first half-century (58) against Gujarat Titans on return to the top of the order, albeit at a struggling strike-rate of 109.63 which marked his slowest-ever fifty-plus score in T20 cricket.
Kohli in IPL 2022
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