On an otherwise impressive show from India, where the bowlers, led by Mohammed Shami, put on a great show, followed by a century from Shubman Gill, there was one blip. India's comprehensive six-wicket win at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday in their Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh did overshadow Virat Kohli's batting debacle, but former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar exposed a significant flaw ahead of the next game against Pakistan on Sunday.
It was a sigh of relief for many as Kohli bounced back to form in the recently-concluded home series against England last week with a half-century in the Ahmedabad game. However, on Thursday, his vulnerability against spin was laid bare yet again by the Bangladesh attack. Kohli scored just 22 runs in 38 balls, comprising a solitary boundary and as many as 20 dot balls. He struggled the most against leg-spinner Rashid Hossain, managing just five runs in 11 balls before being dismissed.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo after the match, Manjrekar reckoned while Kohli is showing that he still has fight left in him, he does not have the big game like Rohit Sharma or Gill.
Manjrekar said: "He's in a tight corner. Virat Kohli's confidence is clearly down. He wants to still show that he's up there for a fight. And I'm starting to see that maybe there is a little bit of bravado as well, but why not? You know, you can't be revealing what's inside you. Rohit Sharma still has the big game. He can step out and hit a guy in, you know, over extra cover or play short on pull and willing to, you know, take chances. Virat Kohli doesn't have the big game anymore. You've seen him occasionally play the big shot, but he can't act. Will he hit a shot like Shubman Gill?"
When reminded that it was a change in approach in IPL 2024 that led to his selection in the T20 World Cup amid the debate over his batting intent, Manjrekar explained with Kohli not managing to capitalise on his form after that century in Perth in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener, he has lacked the confidence to execute the big shots.
{{/usCountry}}When reminded that it was a change in approach in IPL 2024 that led to his selection in the T20 World Cup amid the debate over his batting intent, Manjrekar explained with Kohli not managing to capitalise on his form after that century in Perth in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener, he has lacked the confidence to execute the big shots.
{{/usCountry}}"What happened Is after that 100 in Australia, had he just carried on that form, you know, it's also a confidence thing. When you're out of form and you don't have confidence, you certainly don't quite get that power and, you know, the courage to hit the big shots. That slip after Australia, where he struggled, I saw when he got a fifty against England in the one-day series; it was more of an insight into how Vat Koi is batting. I thought he batted superbly in South Africa when India was there. Australia, that 100 came after already 300 runs were on the board. At this stage, I'm looking at him down in confidence. The batting mechanism is not staying with him," he said.
"here was somebody who said many years back that as you start ageing, your luck also starts running out. And look at Virat Kohli. You've got a feel for him. What kind of a surface will he get for the next two matches? Surfaces that he would hate batting on slow-turning pitches. So it's not helping his cause, either. So it's coming from all directions," he added.
'Kohli needed the flat pitches in Pakistan'
Having speculated that Kohli's concerns in Dubai might continue with the venue favouring spinners, Manjrekar said the flat pitches in Pakistan would have favoured the former India captain more.
"He's just trying to find some way that he can get a move on to the inning. And what you see there is, when he comes into bat, the spinners come on. And once the Spinners know that you won't be hitting them for three sixes straight down the pitch or, you know, over midwicket. Rohit can still do it. KL Rahul can do it, Gill can do it. So he's cornered in a way. What he needed in this tournament were flat pitches like the one that we have in Pakistan, more pace onto him. Things would have been better, but now it's going to be tough. And if he finds a way out of this and we see another, you know, the peak of Virat Koh, that would be just telling you a lot more about that man as to how he's built," he added.