Former Team India left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra reckons it is only a matter of time before Virat Kohli starts scoring big runs again. He credited England bowlers for making life difficult for the Team India captain. But Nehra added that Kohli is good enough to make the desired adjustments needed to rediscover his mojo. Kohli has had a rough series against England so far. In three Tests, he has cross the 50-mark only once.
The Indian captain has constantly got out while fiddling at balls outside the off stump. Analysing Kohli’s struggles, Sunil Gavaskar suggested he must take a cue from Sachin Tendulkar’s 2004 Sydney double hundred, when the Master Blaster did not play a single off-drive.
At an online media interaction organised by Sony, Nehra was asked if Kohli must pay heed to Gavaskar’s advice.
“First things first, somebody like Virat Kohli, he knows his game, that’s why he is here. He has been successful in the same conditions. Everybody knows when you talk about English conditions; they are not easy. You just spoke about Sunil Gavaskar (urging Kohli to learn from Tendulkar and avoid the shot that is getting him out every time),” Nehra was quoted as saying.
One of the finest batsmen of his generation, skipper Kohli has only scored a solitary half-century in the five-match Test series against England.
Taking cognisance of recent Kohli’s batting struggles, Gavaskar had opined that the Indian skipper should take notes from Tendulkar. “Yes, if somebody like Virat Kohli feels he needs to do that, I am sure, he will definitely try to do that. But here, you also correctly mentioned that Virat Kohli got out in the slips, but not while driving all the time. He also got out defending. So it’s not like the ball is not there to drive, yet he is going for a cover drive,” Nehra added.
Nehar also credited England bowlers for making life difficult for India’s formidable top-order in the first three Test matches of the five-game series. The former Team India pacer also asserted that there is no need for Kohli to change his technique overnight.
“Our bowlers also did that in one game. But I don’t think Virat Kohli needs to change his technique overnight. In between a series, it is more about adjustment of your game and being mentally ready. Don’t think there is any problem with Virat Kohli when it comes to mental toughness,” he added.
