IPL 2023: Varun Aaron Urges RCB Batters to Ease Virat Kohli's Burden

The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen Virat Kohli in scintillating form, amassing a staggering 361 runs in just seven innings for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise. With an exceptional strike rate of 147.34 and a highest score of 113 not out, Kohli has undoubtedly been the standout performer for his team. However, former Indian pacer Varun Aaron believes that RCB’s over-reliance on the talismanic batter needs to be addressed.

Speaking to Star Sports, Aaron, who announced his retirement from first-class cricket earlier this year, expressed his concern over RCB’s domestic players’ inability to contribute significantly. “It’s just that RCB are not finding the rhythm, the domestic players are just not stepping up,” he stated.

Aaron, who donned the RCB jersey in the past, emphasized the importance of contributions from the domestic contingent. “If you have to be anywhere at the top of the table or the middle of the table at this point of the table, you have to have domestic players who are firing, and you cannot always rely on Virat Kohli,” he added.

The 34-year-old pacer, who was bought by RCB for a whopping Rs 2 crore in 2014 and retained by the franchise ahead of the 2016 auction, also questioned the team’s hefty investment in players who are warming the bench. “The other guys have to step up, and also, all their money is sitting in the dug-out. You can’t spend that much cash on players and not have them play,” he remarked.

Aaron’s sentiments were echoed by Australia’s former limited-overs captain, Aaron Finch, who believes that RCB needs an explosive middle-order batter to complement Kohli’s prowess. “He’s (Kohli) scored a lot of runs everywhere. He’s a modern-day great. And I think the fact that he’s getting runs, and RCB are still not making it is a positive sign in one degree,” Finch observed.

Finch highlighted the need for a partnership with Kohli and an in-form, explosive middle-order player to bolster RCB’s batting unit. “They just need to find a partnership with him, they need to find an explosive middle-order player who is in form, Lomror has been in and out, so it’s got all the makings of an epic game,” he added, referring to RCB’s upcoming clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Eden Gardens.

While Kohli’s individual brilliance has been a constant for RCB, Aaron and Finch’s observations underscore the need for a collective effort from the entire batting unit. As the IPL season progresses, RCB’s prospects may hinge on their ability to alleviate the burden on Kohli’s shoulders and foster a more balanced and consistent batting performance from their domestic contingent.