Virat Kohli described the Jaipur pitch as having two different paces, making it challenging for strokeplay. However, former India ODI skipper Ajay Jadeja disagreed, suggesting that based on the way Kohli batted, the pitch didn’t seem to pose significant challenges.
Kohli’s remarkable innings of an unbeaten 113 runs off 72 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes, propelled RCB to a total of 183/3 in their allotted 20 overs. However, Rajasthan Royals chased down the target with five balls to spare, thanks to Jos Buttler’s impressive century off 58 balls.
Ajay Jadeja Questioned RCB Batter For His Pitch Reading
Jadeja, known for his deep understanding of the game, noted a discrepancy between Kohli’s observations about the pitch and the actual behavior of the pitch throughout the match.
“He (Kohli) started out so well. He hit a couple of boundaries in the first few overs, and you knew you were watching something special tonight. The only surprising thing was him speaking about how the deliveries were not carrying through on this pitch, but the way he batted, we didn’t see any shortcomings in the pitch,” Jadeja, a ‘Jio Cinema’ IPL expert said.
After hitting his eighth IPL century, Kohli remarked that despite the appearance of the pitch, it wasn’t flat. “The wicket looks quite different from the outside. It feels like it’s flat, but the ball is holding up in the pitch, that’s when you realise the pace changes,” Kohli told the official broadcaster on Saturday evening.
Jadeja was persuaded to believe there were no shortcomings on the surface by Kohli’s shot-making.
