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Former RCB skipper Virat Kohli is working hard to get among the runs in the ongoing 15th edition of the Indian Premier League. After displaying consistent poor performance with the bat, Kohli has started getting runs on board but relatively at a lower strike rate. Widely regarded as a run-machine and having scored four centuries in an IPL season (2016), Kohli is far from his best and is yet to unleash his true batting in the season.

After failing at number 3, Kohli was promoted to open the innings alongside Faf du Plessis and scored gritty 53 in 58 balls against Gujarat Titans, followed by 30 off 33 balls against defending champions Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday evening.

The 33-year-old batter has one fifty-plus score under his belt in an ongoing season with a strike rate of 111.09, which is third-lowest among batters with at least 150 runs this season. Former West Indies cricketer and amongst greats of the game, Ian Bishop believes Bangalore batter needs to bat deep into the innings if he is scoring run per ball. While speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Bishop said, "If he is not getting ahead of the run rate and going at a run-a-ball, then he must bat deep into the innings and focus on building partnerships."

"He hit one six over extra-cover off the seamer, and that was when he just went ahead to a run-a-ball and then he came back. And he isn't going deep into the innings either," he said. However, Bishop was quick to state that he himself is a huge fan of Indian batter, and his comments are just mere observations and should not be termed as criticism.

"The major concern for me is Kohli getting out to different bowlers. Roston Chase got him in the West Indies tour. We saw him getting trapped by spinners in Test matches. I am concerned that a number of types of bowlers are getting him out, and he is not getting ahead of them." Bishop concluded.

After winning the game against CSK, the Bangalore will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on 8th May at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.