Vikram Rathour has backed out-of-form captain Virat Kohli after another failure in the first Test against South Africa at Centurion Park but says he needs to be more cautious with his shot selection.
India batting coach Vikram Rathour feels Test captain Virat Kohli shouldn’t give up on expansive drives but he needs to be judicious while choosing the right delivery for the perfect execution of his shots.
Vikram Rathour: Virat Kohli Needs To Play His Scoring Shots But He Needs To Pick Better Balls
Virat Kohli, one of the finest batsmen to play the game, completed a miserable 24 months (2 years) without a Test hundred as he has scored only 652 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 26.08, almost half his career average before this match of 50.35. In 2020, he averaged a mere 19.33 and in 2021 he averaged 28.21.
Virat Kohli getting caught behind by the keeper or in the slip cordon while trying to lunge into cover drives and off-drives have become some sort of a norm and batting coach Vikram Rathour was asked about the kind of discussions that he has had with the Indian skipper.
“These are shots which brings him (Kohli) lots of runs and it’s his scoring shot. He needs to play that shot and I think it is always your strength that turns out to be your weakness as well,” Rathour said at the end of the fourth day’s play of the first Test against South Africa.
While Sachin Tendulkar once didn’t play a single cover drive against Australia at Sydney during his 241 back in 2004, Vikram Rathour believes that merely curbing a certain stroke isn’t the solution.
“If you don’t play a certain shot, you will never get out playing that shot. You will never score runs as well. Now, when to play that shot, that’s the part there are constant discussions. Was it right all and right stage to play that shot? If we can tighten up our game plans a little more, that will be better. So that’s the shot he (Kohli) plays well and he needs to carry on playing that shot but he needs to pick better balls,” Vikram Rathour said, giving his opinion.
Virat Kohli scored 35 and 18 in the first Test against South Africa. In the ongoing first Test at SuperSport Park, Virat Kohli was dismissed while driving and edging to first slip and wicketkeeper in both innings.
India 6-wicket Away From Win In Centurion
South Africa captain Dean Elgar scored an unbeaten 52 against India as the hosts showed a dogged determination to stay in the fight on a spicy wicket and closed the fourth day on 94 for four in the first Test at Centurion Park on Wednesday. South Africa is still 211 runs off their record victory target at the venue of 305 on a wicket that is treacherous for the batsmen with sideways movement but also variable bounce.
After Virat Kohli exited early in the post-Lunch session, cameos from Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant helped India push their lead beyond 300. India set South Africa a target of 305 despite getting bowled out for 174 in the 2nd innings in Centurion. Rishabh Pant scored an important cameo of 34 runs off as many balls with 6 hits to the fence. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen picked 4 scalps each.
Jasprit Bumrah picked the wickets of Rassie van der Dussen and Keshav Maharaj to put India on the driver’s seat. Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj also picked up a wicket apiece.