IPL: How Rohit, Kohli used their muscle memory to light up opening weekend

There seems to be a method to the ‘madness’ displayed first by Virat Kohli and then Rohit Sharma in the opening two days of Indian Premier League 2026. The way the duo relied on muscle memory to make a mockery of 200-plus targets against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively, suggests they are ready to match the so-called new-age intensity of T20 cricket.

Consider the numbers: the ‘Hitman’ operated at a strike rate of 205.26, scoring 78 off 38 deliveries and bringing up his fastest IPL fifty in just 23 balls. On the opening night, Kohli smashed 69 off 38 at a strike rate of 181.58 — a significant jump from their returns last season, when both were balancing multiple formats of international cricket.

While the common perception is that the duo have nothing left to prove, their performances over the past two days suggest otherwise. If India head coach Gautam Gambhir had hinted after the T20 World Cup triumph that the era of 160–170 totals was over and that it was time to stop celebrating personal milestones, Kohli and Sharma appear to have responded emphatically — showing that higher tempos can still be achieved through classical cricketing shots.

While their flurry of sixes (Rohit hit six against Virat’s five) left the fans almost breathless, the ones that linger on in the memory was Rohit being all timing in carving Blessing Muzarabani over extra cover and Virat employing a similar extension of the arm over the hapless bowler’s head. Yes, the smaller grounds and perfect batting conditions at Chinnaswamy Stadium and the Wankhede made life easy for the masters – but one has to factor in that both played their last T20 game in IPL nearly a year back.

Not far behind was the classy Ajinkya Rahane, the oldest captain in the IPL this season at 37, whose intent and form showed in no uncertain terms during the powerplay against an attack which boasted of Trent Boult and Hardik Pandya. Once one of the mainstays of India’s Test middle order who last played in 2023 WTC final (though Rahane felt he could have offered more in the white ball set-up too), the Mumbaikar was pleasing to the eye as usual and plundered five sixes on way to his 67 at 167.50.        

It’s just two days into the marathon league – but what their legion of fans are finding fascinating at to how they looked in such fine touch despite having a limited game time. Ever since the last IPL, both Kohli and Rohit had been a part of just three ODI series and two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches each – the last competitive matches being against New Zealand.

However, there is enough credible information that while Virat focussed more on keeping himself in top physical shape away from the country, Rohit had spent hours at the MI nets, facing teammates including Pandya and a battery of fast bowlers. Training a day before the opener, he unfurled his big shots and also spent time away from international cricket to maintain his lean and mean avatar.

Offering an insight into Rohit’s preparation for IPL, MI coach Mahela Jayawardene said: ‘’I think after so many years I’ve had him from day one of the camp, he played some really good match practice games. ‘’We had a lot of simulations for him, especially to get him going and I was quite happy the way he was hitting the ball… I thought he batted brilliantly.’’

‘’He’s thinking much calmer, he’s not the leader, there’s less pressure on him. This happens - it happened to me as well in my last few years when I went and played franchise cricket,’’ the Lankan batting legend said. ‘’You practice less, but your memory - your muscle memory - it works. And you just go with the flow, you know, what the bowlers are trying to do,’’ he added.