IPL 2024 | "Virat Kohli is under alot of pressure": Steve Smith

In the IPL 2024 Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost three games in the four matches and Virat Kohli was the only consistent performer from the batting unit Former Australian captain Steve Smith feels that Kohli is under a lot of pressure and that other RCB batsmen should support himIn the IPL 2024 Virat Kohli has smashed 203 runs for RCB in four matches with two halfcenturies and at a strike rate of 6766 Dinesh Karthik is the second batsman to accumulate most runs which is 90 for RCB in four matchesGlenn Maxwell skipper Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green are yet to put on an impressive show with the willowHe needs the other key batters to stand up with him and if they do that they can turn things around for their season But at the moment theyre not so a lot of pressure is on Virat Smith a member of the Star Sports Incredible Star Cast told PTI in an exclusive interaction at the channels studio hereAlso Read IN PHOTOS Shashank Singh From accidental buy to a matchwinnerI doubt hed be putting extra pressure on himself But some of the other toporder and middleorder batters need to help Virat he saidSmith warned that Kohli is not going to score runs in every match and RCB batters must get their act together He started the campaign really well in the IPL and he needs some support Hes not going to score runs on every occasion he saidBut I doubt hed be thinking that way I dont think hed go out and put extra pressure on himself Hed just go out and play and see what happens in that gameSmith rubbished the criticism which Kohli has faced time and again in his career over his batting strikerate saying that no player in the world can read situations as well as the Indian batter Kohli has been hitting at over 140 in this years IPLVirat is an incredible player What he does really well and probably better than most people in the world is that he sums up the conditions and the situation of the game and plays accordingly he saidIf he needs to strike big he does If he needs to bring it back a little bit and build some partnershipsYou dont need 180 on every ground 150160 might be enough on some grounds he addedAlso Read IN PHOTOS IPL 2024 CSK vs SRH Heres all you need to knowVirat sums up the conditions really well and the situation Im not fussed about the strike rate Smith continuedSmith also touched upon another controversymired subplot in the IPL Hardik Pandyas captaincy of Mumbai Indians and the fan backlash he is facing He understands why Pandya has been subjected to jeering in all three matches so far but also wants fans to stop holding on to the pastYes and no Obviously there was that booing going on in the first two games It sort of becomes a bit of a thing if that makes sense But it was unfortunate I think Id love to see them supporting Hardik Obviously theres a lot of huge Rohit fans out there he saidA lot of people are a bit annoyed that hes not the captain of the side But everyone needs to let go of that and support Hardik Hes a wonderful player He had a lot of success at Gujarat Titans Hes back as captain of the side at Mumbai nowThe senior players need to help him out Smith said Being a subject of severe international scrutiny as Australia captain back in 2018 following the balltampering incident in Cape Town which led to him being banned for one year Smith shared some insights on what it takes to come outWhile all this negativity is out there he has got to find ways to cope with it and mechanisms to deal with it Smith saidEveryone is different in the way they do that For me personally I just block everything out I dont listen to anything I dont listen to any comments or boos or anything like thatIts difficult to say but you kind of just have to let it be Block it out as much as you can and just get on with the job at hand I think the best way for him to turn people around is if Mumbai start winning thats the key thing Smith saidSmith however rejected suggestions that the offfield drama has been a factor in MIs three successive lossesOne thing about the Mumbai Indians is that theyre notoriously bad starters in the tournament Theyve done it on numerous occasions he saidI dont think theyd be too worried just yet But they will have to turn things around really quickly It doesnt look good 03 at the bottom of the table They have to turn things around really quickly he addedThe Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Rajasthan Royals in their next IPL 2024 match The match is scheduled to be played on April 6 at the Sawai Mansingh StadiumWith PTI Inputs