IPL 2025: Virat Kohli's mastery shines in a season of high-octane cricket

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) In IPL 2025 season that featured nearly 13,000 balls bowled, over 19,000 runs scored, and close to 300 wickets taken, a comprehensive analysis of IPL 2025 has been done on Virat Kohli as the enduring symbol of cricketing brilliance. As Kohli bids an farewell to Test cricket earlier this week, the IPL has borne witness to his remarkable resurgence in the shortest format.

Representing Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 18th season. Kohli’s 2025 campaign has been one of grit, poise, and controlled aggression — a masterclass in modern-day T20 anchoring. According to stats, Kohli has amassed 505 runs in 11 matches at a staggering average of 63.13 and a strike rate of 143.47, reaffirming his form to navigate the middle overs.

Virat Kohli remains a standout in IPL 2025 with 505 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 143.5 and a 27 per cent dot ball rate, showcasing his trademark consistency and control. Amid power-hitters like Suryakumar Yadav and Nicholas Pooran, Kohli’s anchor role, marked by an 18 per cent boundary rate, brought stability to RCB, reaffirming his status as one of the most dependable performers in his 17th IPL season.

Despite facing 94 dot balls — the third-highest in the season — Kohli demonstrated elite game management by making the most of the 352 deliveries he faced, the highest by any batter this season. While Yashasvi Jaiswal (110 dots) and Sai Sudharsan (95) top the dot-ball charts, Kohli’s ability to rotate strike and construct innings with just a 27 per cent dot-ball rate showcases his enduring value as a T20 anchor, according to a Cricket Predicta study.

Kohli registered seven half-centuries, hitting 62 boundaries (44 fours, 18 sixes), placing him firmly among the top 10 boundary-hitters of the season. In a leaderboard that features explosive hitters like Suryakumar Yadav (77 boundaries) and Jos Buttler (71), Kohli’s performance underlines the impact of timing, precision and calculated risks.

As the tournament enters its business end, Kohli’s performance is more than just numbers. It’s a story of relentless discipline, refined adaptability, and a burning passion that refuses to fade. From the five-day epics in whites to the frenetic pace of T20, Virat Kohli remains a player who continues to shape the game on his terms.

--IANS

bc/