For many bowlers, getting Virat Kohli out becomes their ticket to further success in cricket. Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman currently in the modern era and getting him out is not such an easy task. However, during the IPL 2020 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah, one bowler achieved a magnificent record by dismissing VIrat Kohli. The plan came into execution brilliantly thanks to some magnificent captaincy from David Warner, the Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper. The incident took place in the fourth ball of the fifth over of the Royal Challengers Bangalore innings.
Sandeep Sharma was bowling to Virat Kohli and Wriddhiman Saha was standing upto the stumps. David Warner had noticed that Kohli was dancing down the track to get to the pitch of the ball. Sandeep Sharma bowled the fourth ball full outside off stump and it was at 126 kmph. With the wicket being slow, the ball stopped on Virat Kohli who was suckered into the drive and he chipped it straight to Kane Williamson at short extra cover.
Kohli departed seven off seven balls but Sandeep Sharma created history with that dismissal. This was the seventh time that Sandeep Sharma had dismissed Virat Kohi in the Indian Premier League and it is the most times that he has fallen to a single bowler in a tournament. Only once has one bowler dismissed a batsman seven times in the IPL. Zaheer Khan always had a great advantage against MS Dhoni as he dismissed the former India skipper and current Chennai Super Kings skipper seven times.
In the past, Virat Kohli has been a bunny to particular bowlers. Jhye Richardson dismissed Virat Kohli in all three games in the 2019 tour of Australia while Adam Zampa has dismissed him the most number of times in ODIs. Tim Southee of New Zealand is the only bowler who has dismissed Virat Kohli more than 10 times in all formats combined. But, Sandeep Sharma’s achievement is truly remarkable for it has all come in one tournament.
Sunrisers Hyderabad win
Speaking about the wicket after the end of the innings, Sandeep Sharma said he was not aware of the record. “I didn't know that (dismissing Virat Kohli for the record seventh time in IPL). When I got him, someone came and told me. He's one of the greats, getting his wicket is always special, I enjoyed it. I was talking to Bairstow and Holder, they told me that I was bowling good inswingers and it would be hard for the batsmen if I could bowl the straighter deliveries. So, I am working hard on the that and it came out nicely today. Very happy with that. I need to change my wrist position which I am working in the nets. Trying to bowl some outswingers as well, working hard. I have been bowling knuckle balls for the last three years, I don't have to practice that much, I know my lengths with that,” Sandeep Sharma said.
Royal Challengers Bangalore were restricted to 120/7 and despite a fighting effort from Yuzvendra Chahal who took two wickets, Sunrisers Hyderabad were boosted by a knock of 39 from Wriddhiman Saha and a quick 26 by Jason Holder as they chased the total down inside 15 overs. The win saw Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Net Run-Rate dip to below that of Kings XI Punjab while it has given Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders some tense days.
