Even seasoned stars like Virat Kohli, considered among the top players of his time, have suffered from complicated conditions in 2024. Having scored a match-winning 77 runs in a recently concluded T20 match against South Africa where he played a crucial role in winning a tough final for his team, the former Indian captain has been in awful form in recent games. This was evident in the just concluded series against Sri Lankan where Virat Kohli seemed to struggle.
He got out LBW in three consecutive matches which immensely emphasizes his weakness against spin bowling. He, once regarded as one of the best against spin, especially as a left-arm spinner, does not seem to have the same control over such bowlers as he used to. This weakness was evident, especially when playing against Sri Lankan spinners, Jeffrey Vandersay and Dunith Wellalage who exploited the weakness. It has disappointed the group of his fans and analysts in the way he fails to deal with these bowlers.
A Pattern of Vulnerability
Over the last three years, Virat Kohli was dismissed 25 times by the leg spanners and left-arm spinners. These include six dismissals in a Test match, 11 in ODIs, and eight in the T20 format. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, he was the Indian Cricket Team captain and was famous for being a hitter who goes after bowlers, whether they are fast bowlers or spinners. He counter-attacked and lorded it over bowlers with feet, which he often used. This aggressive attitude let him to play all sorts of shots and dominated spinners.
Changes in Virat Kohli’s Approach
While analyzing Virat Kohli’s effectiveness in today’s cricket, it has to be noted that the style of his batting has changed over the last three years. He now seems to allow himself to be serenaded by bowlers, especially when the going gets tough. This was most noticeable in the recently concluded series against Sri Lanka while his initial tendency to play against spin bowlers looked a bit too defensive. Instead of using his feet and being positive, he went on the back foot, which helped the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, Vandersay, and Wellalage dominate.
In his recent performances, one will see a different attitude from him. He appears to be more careful and he does not come onto the bowlers aggressively as he used to do. This change of tact has not worked well for him, especially in sub-continental wickets that spin particularly in places like Colombo.
Conclusion
While India is gearing up for a Test series against Bangladesh, which is also an off-spinning team, now especially for the former captain how he fares in those issues will quickly matter. The only way to win for him and for the team, in general, is to practice against the spin bowlers and work on his mistakes and weak points.
There are options that iconic batsman could improve regarding his spinning problems: To enhance his foot movement; to be more active and, of course, to support his ‘killer’ position. If only he could intensify his efforts and change his strategy to the current volatile environment, then the luster of him as one of the finest batsmen could be regained.
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