Aakash Chopra On Kohli’s Off-Day Against CSK, Says ‘Such Days Are Inevitable’

March 29, 2025: In Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) latest clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai, all eyes were on Virat Kohli as he walked out to bat. However, it was one of those rare days when the batting maestro struggled to find his usual rhythm.

As JioStar expert Aakash Chopra observed on JioHotstar, Kohli faced difficulties throughout his innings. “It was one of those days where no matter how hard you try, you just can’t find the middle of the bat. Kohli kept connecting with the inner half, dragging the ball toward the leg side more often than not. He took a blow to the head, managed a couple of decent strokes–a six and a four–but eventually fell playing a lofted sweep to Noor at deep square leg,” said Chopra. “This wasn’t the fluent knock we’re accustomed to seeing from him, but such days are inevitable.”

Despite Kohli’s struggles, the bigger story was the way the rest of the team responded. Although Kohli scored 31 off 30 balls, RCB still managed to reach 196, a total fueled by the remaining 15 overs, where the rest of the batting lineup contributed a remarkable 166 runs.

Chopra highlighted the shift in mindset within the team, pointing out that the new approach is what makes RCB more dangerous. “Earlier, Kohli would dictate the pace, and others would play around him—often leaving the team 15 to 20 runs short. But now, even if he struggles, the rest of the lineup continues to attack. With batting depth and players in form, the approach has evolved,” he added.

This new collective approach, where the team steps up even when Kohli isn’t at his best, is a sign of RCB’s growing strength and depth.