Former Pakistani Cricketer Reveals Virat Kohli’s Struggles Against Spin Bowling: “Kohli is Not in Practice”
Star Indian batter Virat Kohli is facing unexpected challenges against spin bowling in the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka. Kohli, who recently retired from T20Is, rejoined the Indian squad for this ODI series under the new head coach Gautam Gambhir. However, his performance so far has been disappointing, with scores of 24 and 14 on spin-friendly pitches.
Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali expressed his surprise at Kohli’s recent struggles. On his YouTube channel, Ali commented, “A great batsman like Virat Kohli, the world’s number one batsman, has been out LBW twice. It’s understandable if it happens to Iyer or Dube, but Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli. This indicates that he is not in practice.”
Kohli’s dismissals in the first two matches came via LBW, first to Wanindu Hasaranga and then to Jeffrey Vandersay. These incidents have sparked questions about his preparation and form against spin bowling. Ali also expressed concerns about other key players in the Indian lineup.
“It did not seem that this is the batting lineup which rules the world. I feel that Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul probably haven’t even practiced. These players have come without sufficient preparation,” Ali added.
Criticizing Shreyas Iyer, Ali suggested it might be time for changes in the playing XI. “I don’t understand what Shreyas Iyer is contributing with such performances. The time might be right for Rishabh Pant, Riyan Parag, and Rinku Singh to be considered. India’s domestic 50-over tournament will be crucial for Gautam Gambhir to identify promising players. If India selects players based solely on reputation, the results may suffer in the Champions Trophy.”
India is trailing 0-1 in the series and has one final chance to level it. The teams will clash again on August 7 at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.