Indian captain Virat Kohli disappointed with his batting performances in the latest New Zealand tour. While many have raised the questions on his batting technique, former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has strongly backed the Indian captain.
The present Indian team is very much depended on Virat Kohli’s batting. But the top-ranked batsman Kohli hugely failed in batting during the latest New Zealand tour. The right-handed batsman scored 218 runs in 11 innings of this tour with an average of just less than 20. He registered only one 50+ score in this tour, and that was in the first ODI of this tour. Out of the 11 innings, he reached the 20-run mark for thrice only. In fact, it was his worst complete international tour with the bat, where he played all three formats.
In the two-match Test series in New Zealand, where the hosts won the series by the 2-0 margin, Virat Kohli only managed to score 2, 19, 3 and 14 runs. His average in this Test series was just 9.50, his second-lowest average in a Test series. After the first Test of this series, Kohli lost the top spot of the ICC Test batting rankings.
How can you question Virat Kohli’s technique: Inzamam-ul-Haq
While many experts are pointing out the technical defect of Kohli’s batting in this tour, Inzamam-ul-Haq has strongly denied this point. Talking about this, the former Pakistan captain has also pointed out Kohli’s number of international centuries which is 70 – the third most centurion in international cricket history.
In his YouTube channel, Inzamam said, “A lot of people are talking about Kohli’s technique and so on. I am amazed by all this talk. He has scored 70 centuries in international cricket, how can you question his technique.
“As a cricketer, I can say that players will encounter a phase when despite his best efforts, runs do not come. (Mohammad) Yusuf had a high backlift, it used to come from gully. When his bad form came, people started questioning his technique. When he came to me, I asked him how did you score so many runs with the same technique?”
No need to worry, this phase will pass
Inzamam also added that the other Indian players also failed in that Test series as the entire team was not performing, and it was a part of the game. The former Pakistan captain feels that this tough phase will pass soon, but Kohli shouldn’t change his technique. Inzamam is confident that the Indian captain will make a strong comeback.
He added, “The team is not performing. If Kohli is failing, what about the other players? This is just part and parcel of the game and it should be accepted in that particular way.
“No need to worry, this phase will pass. Don’t even want to talk about technique. Virat should not change his technique, he is a strong-minded player, he should not be hassled. He will make a strong comeback.”