- June 4, 2025
We’ve all seen it before—Virat Kohli struts out, bat in hand, oozing confidence. He is able to absorb expectations like it’s simply another office presentation. Yet in the IPL 2025 final, there was something that felt. off. When Kohli rocked back to 43 off 35 balls, more eyebrows were raised than applauding hands. Was it an outstanding inning that would serve as the bedrock of RCB’s innings? Or was there simply a lack of the firepower needed by RCB to win the game? Let us get into why this particular knock felt so controversial and why cricket fans will not let it go.
The Missing Intent: Too Steady for a Final?
Kohli’s 43(35) is not a disaster on paper, but cricket is not played on paper; it is played with a mental and physical momentum, it is played with pressure, and it is played with an awareness of the game. Kohli batted through the powerplay and beyond, yet only managed three boundaries. That’s all. For someone with a track record of pacing innings with a combination of grace and aggression, this one felt strangely stunted.
With impact players changing the whole dynamic of how we play T20s with the 2023 rule changes, top-order batters need to learn to attack pressure instead of waiting for pressure to go away. It was three boundaries, three or four good shots, from us having a very different conversation. I guess we’ll never know, because RCB were just a few runs short, and in finals, a few runs can make the difference between a world of difference.
The Rhythm of Collapse: Partnerships Without Payoff
While Kohli attempted to settle in, RCB were busy with their musical chairs of partnerships. Again, build a partnership, lose a wicket; build a partnership, lose another. That is a rhythm-breaker, not just for the team but for the batter anchoring the innings.
There was a moment when things started to shift – a lofted sweep against Chahal, Kohli’s first real attacking stroke. Just when it looked like he may have been shifting gears, bang – another wicket fell. So perhaps, Kohli was playing the good hand by being careful and not triggering another collapse. You cannot fault a guy for holding the innings together when, from the other end, chaos was looming.
Impact Sub Era: Adapt or Fall Behind
The current IPL is brutal. With impact subs allowing teams to build batting or bowling depth, the game has completely accelerated. Teams do not bide their time to launch their attacking game towards the end of the innings anymore; they are playing with a 10+ run rate throughout the entire innings. In this environment, an anchor role similar to that of Kohli’s must be mitigated with higher strike rates or a clear & unambiguous strategic purpose.
There is the heart of the criticism. A 43(35) with only three boundary stings doesn’t check any necessary boxes- neither aggressive enough to elevate the run rate nor cautious enough to bat through and launch a death-over attack. Ultimately, it left RCB stuck in the middle- neither accelerating on their scoring nor consolidating the early runs for a good base to finish the innings. It was an innings that needed one of two things- a decisive counterattack or a deep finish, and we got something in the middle.
At the end of the day, would you rather have a Kohli that is conservative or a Kohli that attacks regardless of the risk? Because it seems in today’s IPL, the gamble pays off! What do you think–did he anchor, or did he anchor the innings? Let us know in the comments.
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