Can Virat Kohli bring back his 2016 magic in the IPL once again? That’s the big question ahead of the new season, and Ravichandran Ashwin believes it is very much possible.
Virat Kohli has already joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru camp at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as preparations begin. RCB will open their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad at home, and expectations are once again high.
What makes this season interesting is RCB’s recent success. Under Rajat Patidar, the team finally ended their long wait and won their first IPL title.
It was a complete team effort, with strong starts from Phil Salt and Kohli, finishing power from Jitesh Sharma and Tim David, and solid bowling from Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Now, the focus shifts back to Kohli. With his workload reduced after stepping away from Tests and T20Is, he looks fresher and more settled.
His recent form in ODIs has also been strong, with multiple big scores showing that he is still at the top of his game.
Ashwin feels that mindset will be the key. According to him, Kohli is now in a space where he has achieved almost everything and can play without pressure. That freedom, he believes, can unlock something special.
He even pointed to the 2016 season, where Kohli had one of the greatest IPL campaigns ever. Ashwin said that if Kohli plays with an open mindset and focuses on enjoying his cricket, he can come close to that level again.
At the same time, Ashwin also acknowledged the reality. Age and conditions will play a role. But even a slightly different version of Kohli can still be dangerous.
As the IPL gets closer, all eyes will be on Kohli. The question is simple can he play free and deliver another memorable season, or will expectations once again weigh him down?
