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The opening day of a new season is always filled with expectations and predictions made by the veteran cricketers of the game. The 15th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off on Saturday at the Wankhede Stadium and before the start of the opening game, former India coach Ravi Shastri made a massive prediction on former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli.
One of Kohli’s most memorable IPL season was 2016. The year he scored 973 runs at 81.08 and with an impressive strike rate of 152.03, comprising four centuries – the most by a player in a season – and seven half-centuries.
Kohli had opened for RCB that season. Five later he had returned to the batting position for RCB with an eye on the 2021 T20 World Cup, but returned with only 339 runs in 15 innings at 28.9 and with a strike rate of 119.5, laced with three half-centuries.
Should Kohli continue to open for RCB in IPL 2022 or should he bat at No.3 ? This has been a big question for RCB fans ahead of the start of their campaign and Shastri, in conversation with Star Sports on Saturday, said, “If Virat Kohli open in this IPL 2022, then I’m sure Orange cap will under threat.”
The only time Kohli had won the Orange Cap was in the 2016 season.
Earlier this week, speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Shastri backed Kohli to open for RCB, but admitted that it depends on the balance of the side.
“That depends on the balance of the team,” Shastri said. “I wouldn’t know what their middle order is, but just in case they’ve got a very strong middle order, then there’s no harm in Virat opening.”
RCB will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27 at Navi Mumbai.
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