The sound at the Bengaluru practice ground was not exactly the same. Cheers, there were cheers, but there were lengthy pauses, too, the pauses when one eye follows another man, silently.
Kohli walked very slowly across the boundary rope, counting nearly every step. No exaggeration on the movements, no sharp shadow batting. Just controlled running exercises, some stretching, and a few words with the physio. It was conscious, as it were, out of the press area. Careful. Like all the moves were pre-vetted.
This immediately succeeds that feeling of uneasiness in the prior encounter by RCB. Kohli was beginning well, and had even made a half-century, but something seemed wrong. The fluency was slightly lacking – a fraction early on drives, a touch slow on the pull. But in the second innings he did not appear on the field at all. It was then that the whispers came.
The following morning it was not a small point of talk any longer. It was now the RCB question: will Kohli be fit to play the match against Lucknow Super Giants?
The signs did not provide a definite answer at the training. He avoided full-intensity net. No prolonged batting spells. Rather, he used light movement work as his routine. A few sprints. Some lateral drills. Testing, not pushing. The management of the team, who were nearby, observed keenly, but made very little intervention, an indication that they are letting the recovery to determine the pace.
But, in spite of that, you had a feeling of his impatience, even in the brief window. Once he picked up a bat and gave a few gentle strokes of shadow when he stopped halfway. Looked down. Minor shaking of head. It was only a matter of seconds long, but it was enough.
This is not merely a case of one player being absent in a game. It is about this Kohli, the one that has been the most consistent support of RCB this season. He has not only been making runs, he has been making time. Anchored innings where wickets were early lost. Hurried along as the platform was prepared. That top-down balance, that top-down control has informed the way RCB approach their batting.
In his absence, the formula is different. Not so theatrically on paper, perhaps, but definitely in emotion. The dressing-room atmosphere. The clarity in the top order. Even the manner in which their opponents strategize their bowling.
What makes the situation worse is the manner in which the final innings came to pass. After getting out, Kohli didn’t hide his frustration. One look at the pitch, a sharp stroke of the bat, and a heavier-than-usual walk back. Not angry–more annoyed. His body seemed not to have rather reacted as he had anticipated.
And at this stage, when the tournament is still in its critical stages, RCB is presented with a difficult decision. Send him back in, and you run the danger of exacerbating something that might be permanent. Keep him back, and you are likely to dilute a lineup which has been forced to rest on his uniformity.
It is already being debated by fans around the ground. Others wish him to be laid to rest, and long-term. Some say that big games require big players, fit or not. Instead, the management appears to be opting to remain silent – no definite notice, no distinct clue.
The implications of this to the immediate plans of RCB.
Without Kohli, it would probably require RCB to rearrange their top order, which would potentially force one of them into a position that they have not always managed to deal with this season. That is doubtful–not so much of course as of run, but of rhythm. Early overs, in particular, might not feel the same.
Alternatively, when he does, he will be watched. Perhaps a little less running in between the wickets. Perhaps a more moderate means. Minor modifications, yet, conspicuous.
As things stand, it’s still a waiting game. The last call is likely to be nearer to the toss time. Until that point, each minor update, a training video, a team sheet tip, will be analyzed.
It is due to the fact that when Kohli is not running as fast as he normally does, everything in the world around him appears to stop. And just at this moment RCB are in that pause.