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Several former cricketers, including Saba Karim, Rashid Latif, and even Sunil Gavaskar have pointed out flaws in out-of-form India star Virat Kohli's batting technique. However, Ajay Jadeja has rubbished all those suggestions, claiming that Virat Kohli's batting was always the same and there's no technical frailty in the Delhi-born cricketer's stance or play. According to Ajay Jadeja, former players should stop finding problems in Virat Kohli's batting because there were none. Ajay Jadeja said Virat Kohli's struggles were largely due to the state of his mind as he wasn't mentally as strong as he once was and that's why he was struggling to make runs on the pitch.
Ajay Jadeja's comments came after Virat Kohli fell for the off-side trap once again at Lord's during the second ODI fixture between India and England on Thursday.
Virat Kohli made his much-anticipated return to India’s ODI team for the second match against England at the home of cricket but perished for a low score of 16 when the opportunity was there for him to hit a big hundred.
India had earlier lost captain Rohit Sharma for a duck and Virat Kohli needed to resurrect their innings. Moreover, the responsibility of achieving the target of 247 to win the series also rested on Kohli's shoulders.
Virat Kohli looked good till he was there at the crease at the iconic venue as he struck a couple of beautiful boundaries but couldn’t prolong his stay as he fell for 16 after being caught behind off the bowling of David Willey during the second ODI between England and India in London.
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This came after he poked at a wide off-stump delivery only to offer an easy catch to wicketkeeper and England captain Jos Buttler at the historic ground in the British capital.
“Virat Kohli is a great player. Most of his runs came (from that technique). Even in his best form, he's not the one who has ever cut the ball even when was scoring hundreds. If you look at him now and say, ‘has he changed anything?', I don't think he has. It's just that the scores aren't coming. I would probably worry that he's getting 20s and 30s, if he had gotten out in the first 10-12 balls, it's fine because any batsman can get out then,” Ajay Jadeja said on Sony Six.
“I know people believe that he should play on the backfoot. Obviously, sitting here on the television, everything looks easy. You get 2 yards extra, and you can see a different line. But he has always been like that. If he had changed anything, you could say, “maybe the backfoot play is not happening.” Show me any of his century where he plays the cut shot, and show me a shot when he has gone back and played to mid-on or mid-wicket,” Ajay Jadeja added.
“For me, it's the same Virat Kohli physically. I think it's the mental aspect,” Ajay Jadeja further said.
Ajay Jadeja’s comments appeared to be in response to former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif and ex-India selector Saba Karim both of whom had spoken about the technical problem in Virat Kohli's batting.
“Kohli’s problem is not mental, it’s technical. You take a look at how he started the innings with a straight driver, an on drive and then played a cover drive. Watch the lengths of those deliveries, they were full, the ones Virat is comfortable with. But the one he got out to was pulled back and moved away. I believe that was a ball that should have been cut but Virat doesn’t play that shot. He always puts his weight on the front foot. He obviously doesn’t have any problem when the ball is pitched up but when it’s short, his balance is not right. His momentum carries his body in front and naturally, he finds it difficult to adjust when the ball is slightly short and away from his eye-line. Batting coach Vikram Rathour and head coach Rahul Dravid have to work on that,” Rashid Latif explained.
“I believe he needs a little more mental focus and willpower to get through this phase. Virat Kohli has told this story numerous times. That is why we have been saying how wonderful he looks, how good he is in form, but the search for the big score continues,” Saba Karim said on Sony Sports.
“Kohli’s trademark has always been allowing the ball to come close to his body before playing his shots. But the way he is been getting out, and how he got out today as well, the ball was too far outside the off-stump and he tried to flirt with it, which resulted in him getting out again,” Saba Karim elaborated.
“In Virat Kohli’s firings and what comes before that, I am noticing a pattern. Are bowlers positioning him that way because we saw him play wonderful drives off the front foot during the Test matches?” Saba Karim added.
“Then they decrease the length a little and grab a wicket thereafter pitching it up to him initially to entice him to commit on the front foot. To resolve this, Virat Kohli must first comprehend the situation. If you are willing to adjust your strategy, you can go over this stage,” Saba Karim concluded.
