IPL 2025: A dominating approach against slow left-arm spinners helps Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stalwart Virat Kohli continued his rich vein of form in the IPL 2025 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS).

During the run chase, Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 73 runs off just 54 balls, including seven boundaries and a maximum.

With 322 runs under his belt, he is the third-highest run-scorer in IPL 2025. Kohli is also RCB`s highest run-scorer and has four half-centuries to his name with a best score of an unbeaten 73 runs.

After a dull 2022 season, the right-hander has been looking in fine touch. Even after his retirement from the shortest format of the game, Kohli continues to reinvent his game.

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As per CricViz, a leading cricket analysis, data and statistics provider, Virat`s improvements against slow left-arm spin are astonishing to see. In five innings against left-arm spin, Virat has scored 54 runs in just 33 balls, with a strike rate of 163.6 and an attacking shot percentage of 79 per cent. He has not been dismissed even once by slow left-arm spin this season.

In the IPL 2025, Virat Kohli has been seen taking charge of slow left-arm spinners.

Coming to the match, RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first. After openers Priyansh Arya (22 in 15 balls, with three fours and a six) and Prabhsimran Singh (33 in 17 balls, with five fours and a six) delivered a fine 42-run stand, they just could not recapture their hold in the match once again as spinners Krunal (2/25) and Suyash Sharma (2/26) dominated the batting. A 43-run stand between Marco Jansen (25* in 20 balls, with two sixes) and Shashank Singh (31* in 33 balls, with a four) took PBKS to a modest 157/6 in their 20 overs.

During the run-chase of 158 runs, RCB lost Phil Salt early, however half-centuries from Virat Kohli (73* in 54 balls, with seven fours and a six) and Devdutt Padikkal (61 in 35 balls, with five fours and four sixes) took RCB to a seven wicket win with seven balls left.

With this win, RCB has managed to avenge their five-wicket loss to PBKS at their home stadium of M Chinnaswamy Stadium and secured their fifth win of the season. They are in third spot, with five wins, three losses and 10 points. With the same win-loss ratio, PBKS is at the fourth spot.

(With ANI Inputs)