Former RCB player AB de Villiers has hit out at those criticising Virat Kohli for his strike rate outside the power play in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024. Virat Kohli has been the second top run-gatherer in the tournament with 500 runs in last ten matches. De Villiers has come forward defending Kohli saying he (Kohli) is he best player to have played the game of cricket. Even, Virat Kohli had hit back at his critics questioning his strike rate.

“Virat Kohli, catching criticism about his strike rate. It's been going on for way too long and I am sort of fed up with that now. I'm frustrated to say the least. This guy is one of the best players to ever play the game of cricket. He's incredible in the IPL, he plays a certain role for RCB, and I've pretty much had enough of data-driven pundits who keep criticising this man,” de Villiers said on his Youtube channel.

“When you don't really have knowledge of the game. How many games of cricket have you played, how many IPL hundreds have you scored? Virat was quoted saying, ‘,All the people who talk about strike rate, and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff. For me, it's about winning the games for the team, and there's a reason why I've done it for 15 years’,” he said

“He's been doing it day in and day out guys, has won games for the team, playing in a certain way. He has got a formula and it's up to the rest of the team, the coach, the captain to strategise around that and personally for me, I spoke about an idea that I have still to this day. As always, I thought that Virat is best at number three. I would still bat him there. He loves opening the batting, and his record speaks for itself. It's incredible, but I do feel with the makeup of this team, with Will Jacks opening with Faf, it will give them the best opportunity to get a flying start,” AB de Villiers said.

“Virat, he's got the perfect opportunity to play that cement role that he has for so many years. And his strike rate, by the way, this season, is even better than that record-breaking season he had (2016) not so long ago. So I don't know where the criticism is coming from, he is batting like a dream at the moment, he's keeping the team together. He's allowing guys like World Jacks, like DK to actually go out and express themselves and have that huge impact,” said de Villers.