‘Throughout the series, he will get 1-2 hundreds’: Vaughan backs Kohli to end century drought against England

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed Virat Kohli to end his wait for a century in the ongoing England Test series.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has rubbished the idea that Virat Kohli may be out of form or that he will go without a century for too long. Kohli, the India captain last scored a Test century in November of 2019 and his last ODI ton came in August of the same year. Although there was limited cricket in 2020, Kohli did not hit a single hundred in the year, the first time that’s happened to him in 12 years. However, Vaughan has backed Kohli to end his wait for a century in the ongoing England Test series.

Virat Kohli last scored an international century in November of 2019. (Getty Images)

“I won’t be too concerned and I’m sure he isn’t concerned. Throughout the series, he will get 1-2 hundreds. I have no question about that,” Vaughan said in a video on Cricbuzz.

Vaughan did however touch upon the manner of Kohli’s dismissal on Day 3 of the first Test against England in Chennai. Kohli was out bat pad for 11 off 48 balls to off-spinner Dom Bess and that is not the kind of dismissal one would associate with a batsman as fine as Kohli, the former England captain reckoned.

“The manner of his dismissal today was weak for Virat Kohli. He defended the ball outside the off-stump with an angled bat facing towards wide extra cover. There is nothing in that shot. As a young kid playing the game, you don’t defend an off-spinner outside off stump because you want to be keeping the face of bat towards the ball. You play with an angled bat, and if there’s bounce, it goes to short leg. So technically, it wasn’t a great dismissal for Virat Kohli,” Vaughan added.

Vaughan felt what would have worked better for the India captain is to show more authority. Kohli last played a Test for India in Adelaide in December and it was almost as if he was playing himself in. Vaughan felt it was the wrong approach and that had Kohli shown intent from the beginning and not allowed Bess to settle, things would have worked better for him.

“I thought he was just trying to play today. I know that sounds simple. I think Virat’s a better player when he comes out trying to be aggressive. When his feet are moving and he’s looking to dance down to the spinners to put them under pressure. You’ve got to remember that Virat Kohli is facing Dominic Bess. He’s a work in progress. He’s young, he’s inexperienced. He’s got great character but this is Kohli against Bess,” Vaughan said.

“I would have expected Kohli to dance down early to Bess. ‘I’m Virat Kohli, I know how to play in these conditions, against a young off-spinner and I’m going to put you under pressure. I was surprised that he just let him bowl. He was hoping for bad balls and hoped he may get one or two.”