There’s one thing Virat Kohli excels at more than anyone else in the world: chasing a target under pressure. He may seem like a lone wolf while playing in matches full of aggression and speed, but he is waving a red flag: “Hey guys. Remember partnerships? Remember patience?!” In IPL 2025, he is showing how sometimes it is not about hitting straight away – it should be about smart, slow, traditional cricket.
Well, let’s investigate Kohli’s “taking it deep” approach to target chasing: it might be the golden rule that everyone else has fallen asleep at.
Chasing Isn’t About Slamming Every Ball—It’s About Timing the Attack
We all enjoy a highlight reel filled with sixes, but T20 cricket isn’t only about going after the ball from the first ball. Kohli’s chase-masterclass on the road for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Delhi Capitals was a strong reminder of this. This would cause panic for lesser teams. Not Kohli, however. He simply turned on chase mode with the steady singles and quick twos, adding a couple of sixes to keep the scoreboard ticking.
He didn’t attempt to outplan the situation: he out-thought it. People tend to forget the worth of patching together the partnership and playing time, he said after the game. And he is absolutely right. When the pitch is not a belter and the pressure is on, it is all-important to build a base first.
Kohli’s approach is not flamboyant, but is unbelievably efficacious: Rotate strike, wait for the right time, then crush it. It’s called cricketing patience 101, and it is still winning games.
Also read:- Will RCB Dominate and Can DC Survive the Top 4 Battle?
Not Every Pitch Is a Highway, and Kohli’s Reading the Room Perfectly
The greatest myth about T20 batting is that you have to hit out of the gate. But this IPL season? That is fizzling more than flying.
Kohli noticed how hard it has been to hit from the first ball in IPL 2025. The pitches have been slower, favoring bowlers who can grip and turn or bowl cutters into the surface. If you’re trying to hit big shots without settling in, you are pretty much giving your wicket away.
Kohli’s brilliance is in his capacity to read the game like a chess grandmaster. He is always checking in with the dugout to ensure he is pacing the innings. He always knows which bowlers to target, when they need to nudge for singles, and when to go big.
Modern T20s Still Need Old-School Smarts
Here’s the kicker: despite this being an era of 200-plus totals and 20-ball fifties, Kohli proved that the fundamentals of the game will still win you matches. Timing, partnerships, and strike rotation will NEVER go out of style, they are life skills.
RCB has won every single one. Pure coincidence? No chance. And before Sunday night, he hadn’t even been dismissed batting second! His average while chasing this season? A ridiculous 245. It is adapting to the conditions, respecting the match situation, and not allowing ego to dictate what is an appropriate shot play. Young players (and to be candid, older ones too) can learn a lot from that.
Taking it deep is not boring. It’s strategic. And as Kohli is demonstrating, IT still wins you the tough matches that separate the champions from the also-rans. As the pitches get slower and bowlers get cleverer, should we perhaps start to appreciate the skill of a well-paced chase once more?
So, what do you think – are the modern T20 hitters missing a trick by not valuing the skill of building an innings? Let me know your thoughts below!
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