BENGALURU, April 16 — Virat Kohli appeared in a tactical role he previously vowed to avoid as Royal Challengers Bengaluru moved to the top of the table with a five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday. Despite declaring last year that he would rather “quit cricket” than participate as an Impact Player, a lingering ankle injury forced the veteran to embrace the substitution rule at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The tactical move proved decisive as Kohli, playing with a heavily strapped left leg, struck a quickfire 49 to anchor a successful chase of 147. His aggressive approach in the powerplay alongside Phil Salt allowed RCB to reach the target in just 15.1 overs. The former captain had picked up the injury during a recent match against Mumbai Indians and was seen performing restricted drills during the pre-match warm-ups.
Former teammate Swastik Chikara had earlier revealed Kohli’s private stance against the rule, which was introduced by the BCCI in 2023. Chikara noted that Kohli intended to play only as a full participant who could both bat and field for the entire duration of a match. “The day I have to play as an Impact Player, I will quit cricket,” Kohli had previously asserted within the team camp.
However, the reality of a busy schedule and physical setbacks led to a change in strategy. Following the win, Kohli affirmed that his physical condition influenced the decision to use the specialized role. “I’m still not 100%. My knee was a bit sore last game. Even health-wise, I’ve been under the weather for four or five days,” he stated, acknowledging that he had to adapt his intensity to the current conditions.
