Cricket fans and experts are once again focusing on star batsman Virat Kohli following his recent struggles with the bat. In the first One Day International (ODI) against Australia, Kohli was dismissed for a duck, falling victim to a delivery outside the off-stump – a mode of dismissal that has plagued him before. This recurring issue has prompted former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif to weigh in on Kohli’s current form.
Kaif believes that Kohli’s current lean patch stems from a lack of consistent match practice, which he argues is crucial for maintaining a player’s rhythm and anticipation. Without regular game time, it becomes harder for batsmen to stay sharp and instinctively react to variations in pace, swing, and length from bowlers.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif emphasized, “A player’s sharpness depends on rhythm and playing matches regularly. When you’re in that rhythm, your eyes pick up the ball right out of the hand — whether it’s swinging in or out, a yorker or a slower one. That instinct only comes with constant match exposure. When you’re playing every couple of days, you stay in your batting zone.”
He further noted that Kohli currently seems “out of his batting zone,” a sentiment echoed by his dismissal in Perth. “Right now, Kohli doesn’t seem to be in his batting zone. There was a lack of rhythm, and he looked out of touch, which led to that mistake,” Kaif explained. The discussion around Kohli’s form comes at a time when even his childhood coach has reportedly commented, “‘Unfair at this stage!’: Virat Kohli’s childhood coach on the treatment of senior duo Virat-Rohit.”
Despite these challenges, there’s optimism for Kohli’s return to form. He has a strong track record at Adelaide Oval, the venue for the upcoming ODI. In his four previous appearances there, he has amassed 244 runs at an impressive average of 61, including two centuries. This history suggests Adelaide could be the perfect stage for the star batsman to rediscover his vintage touch under pressure.