Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said that Virat Kohli’s intent to play big shots in the earlier half of his innings has made him a massive threat to opposition bowlers, as compared to earlier years when he used to hit them only in the second half of his innings. Royal Challengers Bengaluru rode on scintillating half-centuries from Kohli (67) and captain Rajat Patidar (64) to post a whopping 221/5. Kohli ruled the roost with a 42-ball 67, which gave Bengaluru impetus in Jasprit Bumrah’s (0/29) comeback match. “The big difference over the last season and a half has been his intent to play lofted shots much earlier. Earlier, those lofted shots would come later in the innings, but now he’s looking to take risks from ball one,” Gavaskar said while speaking on JioHotstar. “Bowlers who were prepared for his drives and flicks are now seeing the ball going over the infield for boundaries. That change in mindset has thrown the bowlers off,” Gavaskar added. The former Indian cricketer requested the misfiring senior batter Rohit Sharma of the Mumbai Indians to be a bit more selective about his shot-making. “When he gets out in the power play, it hurts, whether it’s for Mumbai Indians, India. I believe his shot selection needs a bit of tempering,” Gavaskar said. “You have to be aggressive and score as much as possible in the first six overs, but choosing the right risks is key,” Gavaskar added. Rohit (17) was cleaned up by Yash Dayal (2/46) while swinging across an inswinging ball and Mumbai’s best batter, Suryakumar Yadav, struggled during his 28-run innings, for which he consumed 26 deliveries. Gavaskar said that Jasprit Bumrah, who returned to competitive cricket for the first time after three months of recovering from a back injury, will keep improving as he plays more games. “The first and foremost thing was seeing him come in steaming and bowling at his usual pace, over 140 km/h,” Gavaskar said. “I believe that with a few more games under his belt, he’ll likely hit 150 km/h as he gains more confidence in his back and feels secure enough to bowl at full tilt,” Gavaskar added.