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'Virat Kohli has not...': Former India batting coach points out Indian captain's flaws amid low returns in England

WION Web Team
New Delhi, India Updated: Sep 01, 2021, 07:32 PM IST
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When Virat Kohli was angry at a journalist during India tour of England in 2018. Photograph:(Reuters)

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Amid Virat Kohli's struggles in England, former batting coach Sanjay Bangar pointed out where the Indian captain is going wrong versus Joe Root & Co.

Ahead of India's fourth and penultimate Test versus England, there has been plenty of talk regarding Virat Kohli's struggles. The Indian captain hasn't been at his best in the ongoing England Tests and couldn't produce a match-winning performance for the national side even during the inaugural WTC final, versus New Zealand in Southampton in mid-June.

Kohli's scores so far in the England Tests are: 0, DNB, 42, 20, 7 and 55. While he did surpass the 50-run mark for the first time during India's tour of United Kingdom, including the WTC summit clash, he was far from his usual best and was troubled by James Anderson and Ollie Robinson when England took the second new ball on Day 4 of the third Test at Headingley, Leeds.

Speaking on Kohli's form and his barren run, former batting coach Sanjay Bangar was qouted as saying while speaking on Aakash Chopra's Youtube channel. "The bottom line as far as I am concerned is that Virat Kohli has not shown the patience that England bowlers have shown against him. That was the only difference."

“He has not got out defending a lot of times. He has gone towards the ball in all his dismissals. If you see his dismissals from 2014, he did not get out playing the drive as many times as he got out defending. I feel he is playing the sixth or seventh stump delivery, which is not required to be played. He needs to check his position when the ball gets released,” Bangar added.

While a lot has been said and written about Kohli ahead of the fourth Test, which starts on September 2 (Thursday) at Kennington Oval, London, the 32-year-old will be eager to let the bat do all the talking in the remainder of the Tests.

At present, the India-England Tests is levelled at 1-1 and both sides have plenty to play for in the last two encounters.