‘Virat Kohli’s hunger is back, you can see it with his strokes': Ex-India batting coach Sanjay Bangar

Kohli struck 63 runs in 48 balls, consisting of three fours and four sixes, against Australia in the series decider on Sunday. He also surpassed Rahul Dravid to become the second-highest run-scorer for India in international cricket.

Virat Kohli has been absolutely terrific since Asia Cup 2022. He has erased all doubts over his form in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia. He was the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament and followed it up with noteworthy performances in the Australia T20Is. In the third game on Sunday (September 25), the former India skipper hit a match-winning 63 off 48 deliveries as India clinched the home series 2-1 in Hyderabad.

Sanjay Bangar; Virat Kohli

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar analysed Kohli's batting in the recent matches. He pointed out the star batter's body language and predicted Kohli's hunger for runs is back.

"He is a champion batter. He has done that for India for such a long period of time. He knows he is in that phase where he is enjoying his game big time. He knows that the rhythm is back, the hunger is back, you can see that with the body language that he is displaying along with his mates. That's what you want to see in him, enjoying," Bangar said on Star Sports.

"There was a phase where the pressure was getting to him. But after the break, the sense of enjoyment is back, the feeling of hitting a cricket ball is back in his game," he added.

Notably, before the Asia Cup, the 33-year-old rested for India's white-ball tour of West Indies and Zimbabwe.

Kohli notched up his maiden T20I hundred in the ‘Super 4’ stage in Asia Cup against Afghanistan, while opening the batting. Since then, his batting spot was discussed among pundits and veterans of the game, with many backing his elevation to the top.

But former Australia opener Matthew Hayden dismissed the need for such an experiment. He called Kohli the “glue” between India's opening pair and the middle-order.

"We have been speaking a lot about this. For me, it's almost a non-discussion. He(Kohli) bats at No. 3 for this reason. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have got a really good opening partnership. You consolidate at No. 3. The glue is what Australia have been missing in this series, that is Steve Smith," Hayden said.