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Cricket Players'If you try to help, you just get in the way': Ex-RCB leader has his say on whether Virat Kohli needs advice in IPL 2022
Virat Kohli, 33, has managed to aggregate just 119 runs after eight games for RCB in the ongoing 10-team IPL edition.
Virat Kohli may be among the best modern-day batters in world cricket, but the Indian has been a pale shadow of his former self for the past couple of years. The former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper on Saturday recorded his second consecutive golden duck after falling to a Marco Jansen delivery in the IPL 2022 game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Kohli, 33, has managed to aggregate 119 runs after eight games, further prolonging his century drought.
Kohli, who relinquished India and RCB captaincy last year, hasn't been able to click despite not having the burden of captaincy on his shoulders. The prolific batter has scores of 41 not out, 12, 5, 48, 1, 12, 0, 0 in RCB's eight outings this season. His last international ton was in November 2019 and his inability to convert starts into big scores has also led to pundits underlining his burnt state. Many have also suggested a break for the star batter.
Former New Zealand and Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori has also spoken about Kohli's torrid phase with the bat, saying the franchise should give the Indian some space to rediscover his lost mojo.
“It will be up to the individual. It will be up to Kohli and his experience and his understanding of himself; how he will manage his way out of it. If you try to help, you just get in the way and you’ll probably say the wrong thing and alienate him. It’s easier just to say, 'Virat, we trust you completely, and we’ll see you at the backend of the tournament, winning games for us’," Vettori told ESPNcricinfo.
Vettori also commented on Bangalore's batting display against Sunrisers Hyderabad. South African pacer Marco Jansen scythed through the Bangalore top-order and the team kept losing wickets to go down to the lowest total of this season - 68. In the hunt for an elusive IPL title, Bangalore registered the sixth lowest total ever in IPL history.
“I don’t think it happened, in their minds. These games seem to happen for every team once a tournament. Players do have a short memory and RCB has been playing some very good cricket. Their planning would go on to the next game rather than debriefing this one," Vettori further said.
“Perfect performance by SRH. If you draw up performances as a coaching staff or as a captain, this is what it looks like. It started with that over from Marco Jansen and everyone else played their part. There was some great catching from the likes of Nicholas Pooran. When you are chasing a small total, you can go one or two ways. Abhishek Sharma came out and just took the game away.”
