Exclusive: On Virat Kohli, David Warner's Strike-rate Criticism, Matthew Hayden's Verdict

23.04.2023 - 08:05 sports.ndtv.com

Among the finest batters in their generation, Virat Kohli and David Warner have made their bats do the talking in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

However, despite being among the top-scoring batters this season, the two find themselves in the line of fire over their strike rates.

Both Kohli and Warner have been courting criticism over their poor scoring rates in the 16th edition of the league. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, former Australia and Chennai Super Kings batter Matthew Hayden gave his verdict on the 'strike-rate debate' that has had the cricketing fraternity and fans divided.

The metrics of a players' performance have changed a lot while shifting from Test or ODI cricket to T20Is. While some believe that strike rates are more important in the shortest format of the game, others are of the opinion that averages and half-centuries still hold the key.

cricket Delhi Capitals on David Warner Virat Kohli Matthew Hayden Tilak Varma Australia India Delhi Chennai Bangalore

Apart from the high-octane action on the field in the IPL 2023, one major talking point in the cash-rich league has been the altercations between stars of various teams. Be it Royal Challengers Bangalore star Virat Kohli's on-field heated exchange with Lucknow Super Giants mentor Gautam Gambhir and pacer Naveen-ul-Haq. Or, RCB star pacer Mohammed Siraj's angry words with Delhi Capitals' Phil Salt and David Warner. The incidents seem to be too many. And England great Graeme Swann feels it is great for the IPL.

Shikhar Dhawan Joins Virat Kohli, David Warner In Elite List With Huge IPL Milestone

Star India batter and Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper completed the 50th half-century of his Indian Premier League (IPL) career on Monday. He accomplished this milestone in his side's IPL 2023 match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. In the match, when wickets were falling from the other end, Shikhar played a cautious knock of 57 runs in 47 balls, which consisted of nine fours and a six. His runs came at a strike rate of 121.27. He is the second Indian after Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and third overall after David Warner (Delhi Capitals) to have completed a half-century of half-centuries.

IPL 2023: Amid Strike Rate Criticism, Ravi Shastri's "Don't Change Tempo" Advice For Virat Kohli

Former India coach Ravi Shastri on Monday advised Virat Kohli that he must not drop the tempo of his innings after getting a start as his consistent 'bat-deep' approach triggered a debate if such batting style is suited for T20 cricket. Kohli's approach was questioned after he made 55 off 46 balls in a losing cause against Delhi Capitals at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Saturday night. It was his sixth fifty plus score of the season but the pace of his innings probably cost the team another 20 runs.

Watch: Virat Kohli Sparks Laughter Riot In Refreshing Post-Match Scenes From DC vs RCB Game

After the ugly post-match scenes from the Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore match in the Indian Premier League 2023, some refreshing moments emerged from the second match on Saturday. Though Virat Kohli's homecoming was spoiled by Delhi Capitals' 7-wicket victory, the RCB stalwart was in a jolly mood as he spoke to Ishant Sharma and a few other DC players after the game. The bond that Virat and Ishant share goes back years, and their camaraderie was quite visible at the Arun Jaitley Stadium after the match.

Watch: Virat Kohli Shakes Hands With Sourav Ganguly, Puts Controversy To Rest

The controversy surrounding Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly was finally put to rest on Saturday as the two legendary cricketers shook hands in the aftermath of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 encounter between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The handshake was the topic of controversy the last time these two teams faced each other as various videos suggested that Kohli and Ganguly did not greet each other after the game. Reports also suggested that the duo unfollowed each other on Instagram following the incident. However, that was not the case after DC's win on Saturday as the two legends shook hands and even spoke to each other briefly at the end of the encounter.

IPL 2023: Virat Kohli Magic Continues, Becomes First Cricketer Ever To Achieve This Feat

Virat Kohli added a massive milestone to his already illustrious career as the Royal Challengers Bangalore star became the first batsman ever to score 7000 runs in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli reached the coveted milestone during the IPL 2023 encounter against Delhi Capitals in a season which has seen multiple superb knocks from him. Such has been Kohli's domination in the tournament that he is almost 500 runs ahead of the second-placed Shikhar Dhawan and around 900 runs ahead of DC's David Warner who occupies the third spot currently.