Virat Kohli Opening For RCB In IPL 2022 Is The Right Option: Daniel Vettori

Mumbai: Former NZ and RCB captain Daniel Vettori has said that getting Virat Kohli to open their innings is the right option for the franchise in the upcoming IPL season. Kohli’s batting position has become a talking point once again with the addition of Faf du Plessis, another top-order batter, as captain in the squad.

Du Plessis made a stellar performance opening the batting for Chennai Super Kings while Devdutt Padikkal is a revelation at the top of the order for RCB. However, Vettori said that RCB should open Kohli and it doesn’t matter who bats at the other end.

“I think every year it’s a discussion point. Every year by the end of the season, Virat Kohli’s opening becomes the right choice. It’s irrelevant who is at the other end. I think he performs better in situations where he is allowed more time and his stroke-making is more successful in those first six overs,” Vettori said on ESPNCricinfo.

Vettori said on-field restrictions allow Kohli to score early in the powerplays and he also has the highest strike rate in the death overs in the league.

“It allows him to settle during the middle overs and then his death with the bat is extraordinary. It takes a lot to reach those death overs but I believe when he is able to settle up at the top of the order that is when he is at his best,” said Vettori, who was also head coach of RCB from 2014 to 2018.

“If you look at the times RCB has been successful, it is when he has opened. We are talking about a fantastic player, whether he bats from one to four, he is still going to contribute and be amazing. But I think from a team perspective, the opener is the right way from here,” he said.

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