Decoding the numbers of Virat Kohli in IPL 2022
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered a seven-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. Virat Kohli (7) was dismissed quite early in the game. As a batter, Kohli had plenty of lows in the first half this season, but he made up for it in the later stages. We decode his numbers from IPL 2022.
How did Kohli fare in IPL 2022?
Kohli racked up 341 runs across 15 matches. He averaged a mere 22.73 and struck at 115.98. He willed himself to two fifty-plus totals. He dispatched a 53-ball 58 against GT, which came in a losing cause. He then came up with a 54-ball 73 in the re-match against the Titans. Surprisingly, Kohli was dismissed on nought thrice this season.
Why does this story matter?
Kohli has been one of RCB's key batters over the years. To keep churning out runs on a regular basis in a tournament as intense as IPL is no mean feat. Having done the same with each passing edition, the 2022 season witnessed a different version of Kohli. He looked like a shadow of himself. Still, he managed a distinct feat in the tournament.
Kohli averaged 53.00 in the middle overs
Kohli was troubled in the powerplay as he compiled 160 runs at 20.00. He was also dismissed in this interval on eight occasions. However, his numbers skyrocketed in the middle overs. He smashed 159 runs at 53.00 while striking at a modest 115.21.
Kohli attained a distinct feat in IPL 2022
Kohli managed a unique feat as the only player to have scored 300-plus runs in 13 consecutive seasons. In 2010, he aggregated 307 runs. That was the first season he scored in excess of 300. It was followed by season-wise tallies of 557, 364, 634, 359, 505, and 973 runs. From 2017, he hoarded tallies of 308, 530, 464, 466, 405, and 341 runs.
Kohli versus spin, pace in IPL 2022
As per ESPNCricinfo, Kohli mustered 234 runs against pacers. He averaged 23.40 and struck at 120.00. He fell prey to pacers on 10 occasions. Against spinners, Kohli scored 107 runs at 26.75 (four dismissals). He struck at 108.08, dispatching three fours and five sixes.
A look at Kohli's scores in IPL 2022
Kohli's scores in the first eight matches read: 41* vs PBKS, 12 vs KKR, 5 vs RR, 48 vs MI, 1 vs CSK, 12 vs DC, 0 vs LSG, 0 vs SRH. His knocks in the remaining matches read: 9 vs RR, 58 vs GT, 30 vs CSK, 0 vs SRH, 20 vs PBKS, 73 vs GT, 25 vs LSG, and 7 vs RR.
Kohli has over 6,600 runs in IPL
Kohli has clobbered 6,624 runs in 223 matches in the lucrative tournament. He averages 36.19 (SR 129.14). He has pummelled most hundreds by an Indian player in IPL (five). He is joint-second-most overall, a record he shares with Jos Buttler. He has clocked 44 fifties, which is the third-most in IPL. Kohli has collected 14 Player of the Match awards to date.
