Former Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara raised concerns about Virat Kohli’s technique against the new ball after his dismissal in the ongoing Gabba Test. Pujara suggested that Kohli’s approach might not be entirely suited to handle the challenges posed by fresh, moving deliveries.
While speaking on Star Sports, Pujara highlighted that India’s top-order struggles have forced Kohli into situations where he has had to face the new ball early in his innings. This has contributed to his below-par performance in the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Impact of the New Ball on Kohli’s Performance
Pujara elaborated on the issue, saying,
“We were discussing that he has been forced to play the new ball. He has gotten out whenever he has played the new ball. When he played the old ball, he scored a hundred in Perth. So that’s also a very big point.”
He further explained,
“His technique is not made for the new ball. His batting should come after 10, 15, or 20 overs. If he plays the new ball, the bowlers are fresh, and their confidence is also high. When they get two wickets, the entire team is charged up. So when you come to bat at that stage, it’s not easy.”
Kohli’s brief innings in Brisbane yielded just three runs as India found themselves struggling at 51/4 during their first innings on Day 3. Earlier, Australia had posted a formidable 445 runs in their first innings.
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Kohli’s Inconsistent Form in the Series
Kohli started the series strongly with an unbeaten century during the first Test in Perth, where Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul stitched together an impressive 201-run opening stand. However, his performance in the following innings has been lackluster, scoring a mere 26 runs across four innings and failing to reach double digits in three of them.
Despite his dedicated efforts in net practice, Kohli has struggled to replicate his training in match situations. Pujara noted,
“When the bowling is happening in just one area, on the fourth to sixth stump, and he is playing that and getting out, it’s not a good thing. He understands that himself. We saw in the net session as well that he was leaving balls in that area, but that execution is not happening in the match.”
Mental Adjustment Key to Kohli’s Revival
According to Pujara, Kohli’s challenges are more mental than technical. Throughout the series, all four of Kohli’s dismissals have been caught behind by the wicketkeeper or slip fielders. Josh Hazlewood has dismissed him twice, while Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland have claimed his wicket once each.
Pujara explained,
“In the match, for some reason, he wants to leave the ball but is unable to, and the bat is going there. So he will have to stop himself. He will have to change his mindset. There is a technical part that you are playing a delivery outside off-stump. However, if you have to leave the same delivery, it’s not a very big technical adjustment but he needs to make a bigger mental adjustment.”
For Kohli to regain his form, a shift in his mindset and an ability to adapt to game-day pressure will be crucial.