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'He wasn't even going at run-a-ball; there wasn't much intent': WI great 'concerned' by Virat Kohli's batting approach
Virat Kohli has amassed just 175 runs with a strike rate of just 111.09, which is the third-lowest among batters with at least 150 runs this season.
He has scored 88 runs in the previous two outings but Virat Kohli's inability to pace the innings is a matter of concern for West Indies' great Ian Bishop. After a string of low scores including two golden ducks, Kohli hit a sedate 58 off 53 balls against Gujarat Titans. The former Royal Challengers Bangalore followed it up with 30 from 33 deliveries against Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday. (IPL 2022 Full Coverage)
Though Kohli's last two innings featured some flashy boundaries, he wasn't able to score fluently or take the game deep. Against Chennai, the mercurial batter played 16 dot deliveries before perishing again to England all-rounder Moeen Ali.
Bishop said he's concerned about the Indian's struggles against spin, off-spin in particular, and underlined Kohli getting out to different kinds of bowlers.
"For a while, for 10 or 15 runs, he wasn't even going at a run-a-ball, or he was just going at a run-a-ball," Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo's show 'T20 Time Out'.
"He didn't get ahead, and there wasn't much intent. He hit one (six) over extra-cover off the seamer, and that was when he just went ahead to a run-a-ball and then he came back. This is something we've been seeing with Virat, not just this season. Even last season, I remember, and even sometimes internationally, he'll fly out - he didn't fly out tonight - and then he'll slow down again. So, I'm concerned," he further added.
Kohli has amassed just 175 runs with a strike rate of just 111.09, which is the third-lowest among batters with at least 150 runs this season. Against Ali, Kohli went for a delivery that was pitched outside the off-stump but it turned past the inside edge to crash onto the stumps.
"If you're not getting ahead of the rate and going at a run-a-ball, you need to bat deep into the innings. And he isn't going deep into the innings either. So those deliveries don't come back to you. Even if RCB won, that wasn't an innings, even given the difficulties of the pitch, that you could say caused a match-winning total," said Bishop.
"Roston Chase got him out in the West Indies series (at home in February), we saw him getting out to the off-spinner in Test matches. So, I'm concerned about ... and I'm a Kohli fan.
"I tune in to watch cricket when Kohli's at his best, so it isn't a criticism but an observation that I am concerned that a number of types of bowlers are getting him out and he's not getting ahead of the rate," he added.
