Sandeep Sharma admits he has been lucky to dismiss Virat Kohli on multiple occasions in IPL

Rajasthan Royals’ medium pacer Sandeep Sharma has admitted he has been lucky to dismiss Virat Kohli on multiple occasions in the IPL. Sandeep has a potent record against Virat Kohli in the IPL, having dismissed him seven times, which is the most against Kohli by any bowler in the league.

Kohli has scored 132 runs against Sandeep at a strike rate of 150 and an average of 18.85. The RCB batter is the highest run-getter in IPL history with 8661 runs in 267 matches at an average of 39.55 and a strike rate of 132.86.

Meanwhile, Sandeep is known to swing the new ball, whereas he can also consistently hit the blockhole in the death overs. He has scalped 146 wickets in 136 matches at an average of 20.83 and an economy rate of 8.03.

Sandeep Sharma told CricTracker, “I think I have been lucky and I have been asked this question so many times and always I have told that I have been lucky. I have dismissed him seven times. And out of those seven times, I think I have been lucky four times. I have been lucky more times in his case than any other bowler, I feel.”

“One time, he was out down the leg while he was flicking, it hit the edge. The other time, the umpire gave out LBW wrongly. Third time, he was batting on 100. He had scored 100 in Chinnaswamy Stadium, I still remember. And the ball I had bowled, it was a completely over-pitched ball. It was like, he can’t miss it being a batsman on 100 and he missed it and he got out on the long off. Fourth one was again, it was a normal length ball and he played like a blinder shot and it went straight into David Warner’s hand,” recalled Sandeep.

Sandeep picked CSK former batter Suresh Raina as the toughest batter to bowl to in the Powerplay overs.

“I feel it depends on which phase you’re bowling. For me, in powerplay, I felt Suresh Raina was the toughest batsman to bowl. He always came and dominated me, being a lefty. Left-handed batters have never dominated me in IPL, like consistently. One odd game, somebody scores runs. So, I felt Suresh Raina was the toughest batter, for me, to bowl in powerplay,” said Sandeep.

For the death overs, the right-arm pacer picked MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers as the two toughest batters.

“And in death, I would say MSD (MS Dhoni) and ABD (AB de Villiers). These two batters were like a nightmare when they were on their peak.”