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ToggleDinesh Karthik, former teammate of Virat Kohli in RCB and India, has shown concern about the batter’s poor form and struggles against spin. This comes after Kohli was found wanting against New Zealand spinners in the first two tests in Bengaluru and Pune.
The great Indian batsman has only scored 88 runs in two Tests against New Zealand, including 70 in one innings. Kohli hit 99 runs in two Tests against Bangladesh, averaging 33.
India desperately needed Kohli to make runs against New Zealand when they were down, but his slump has not helped. As a result, the Men in Blue are presently 0-2 in the three-match series, with one match remaining.
Mitchell Santner dismissed Kohli in both innings, making him the first hitter to be bowled twice in a Test by a left-arm spinner.
Kohli’s poor form has surfaced as one of the causes of India’s first home Test series defeat since 2012. Since 2020, the former India captain has not repeated the form he demonstrated from 2012 to 2019.
Can’t sugarcoat it: Dinesh Karthik questions Virat Kohli’s game plan against spinners
Dinesh Karthik, a former India and RCB cricketer, has recommended Virat Kohli to return to domestic cricket in order to overcome his recent slump.
Karthik acknowledged Virat Kohli’s recent struggles against spin bowling and stated that he has not scored a huge one in the red ball format in a long time.
“Virat Kohli has not had it easy, the series has not been good to him, three out of four innings, he has disappointed. It’s obviously a recurring pattern where spinners have troubled him, and I think he will go and figure out what he needs to do to come out stronger. He is a man, who is searching for answers. When you reach that level of genius and superstardom, you will be thrown challenges and here is another challenge. India likes to play on pitches that aid spin, what is his gameplan?” said Dinesh Karthik while speaking to Cricbuzz.
In the last four years, Kohli has just scored two Test tons, and both of them came in 2023, one against Australia on a flat pitch in Ahmedabad and the other against West Indies.
Virat Kohli needs to go back to domestic cricket to regain form: Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik also suggested that Kohli “probably go back to domestic cricket” to reclaim his mojo, which previously made him the best hitter in the world.
“We all know what he is capable, this series was not meant to be. Like the fans have been saying, he has not done it for a long time and that we cannot run away from. We don’t want to sugarcoat it because we want to be as objective in assessing any player, any performance, at the moment Virat Kohli’s Test record in the last 2-3 years, has not been great against spin,” said Karthik.
“What he needs to do, is probably go back to domestic cricket and focus on what needs to be done with the current rules of DRS. There is no doubt the left-arm spinners pose a big threat,” he added.
Kohli will now look to rekindle his form in the third and final Test against New Zealand before heading to Australia for the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy.