Virat Kohli Struggled In The 2014 England Tour For Not Offering Full Face Of The Bat, Says WV Raman

Jun 12, 2021 at 1:47 PM

facebook iconlinkedin iconmail icontwitter iconWhatsApp iconTelegram icon
Virat Kohli Struggled In The 2014 England Tour For Not Offering Full Face Of The Bat, Says WV Raman

WV Raman, a former India cricketer, and former women team’s coach is of the opinion that Virat Kohli struggled during the 2014 England tour because he was too keen on trying to get behind the line of the ball.

According to WV Raman, since Virat Kohli was so preoccupied with the technical aspect, he was actually not offering the full face of the bat.

WV Raman PC: Twitter
WV Raman PC: Twitter

WV Raman: Virat Kohli Was Not Offering The Full Face Of The Bat In The 2014 England Tour

Virat Kohli had contrasting tours of England in 2014 and 2018. In 2014, he managed only 134 runs in five Tests at a poor average of 13.40. Four years later, he hammered 593 runs in the five-Test series. Virat Kohli averaged 59.30 with two hundred in 2018.

Reflecting on what went wrong for Virat Kohli on his first Test tour of England, WV Raman told the Hindustan Times in an interview: “I think in 2014 he (Virat Kohli) was so keen to get right behind the line of the ball that his bat at times was struggling to get down on time. He was not offering the full face of the bat.”

“Sometimes when you are too keen to play it the correct way that you forget to relax. For example, beside the line, a player need not alter his technique completely to succeed in England. He needs to ensure that doesn’t play his shots far too early in the innings and pick his deliveries smartly,” said WV Raman.

Virat Kohli, Image Source : AP IMAGE
Virat Kohli, Image Source: AP IMAGE

The 56-year-old added that players need to make subtle changes to their game to adapt to conditions.

WV Raman explained in this regard: “At this level, it is all about these subtle changes. When you are on a tour, it is very difficult to suddenly bat like someone else in a matter of two weeks. When you are used to playing a certain way for so many years, you need to maintain that and find ways to cope with difficult scenarios.”

Virat Kohli has been on two tours of England since he made his Test debut for India. In the first tour in 2014, he was all over the place, scoring just 134 runs from 10 innings, statistically the India captain’s worst in a three-Test series or more. However, four years later, Virat Kohli turned it around in style, scoring a mammoth 593 runs from five Tests, including two centuries and three fifties.

Virat Kohli Will Have Doubts About James Anderson When The Ball Is Moving: Irfan Pathan

According to former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, Virat Kohli will definitely have his doubts when he comes up against James Anderson despite his success on the previous tour. James Anderson was Virat Kohli’s nemesis during the 2014 series as he constantly troubled him with nagging lines outside the off-stump.

Irfan Pathan wrote in his column for the Playfield Magazine: “You ask Virat Kohli, he will never worry about Mitchell Johnson bowling fast because he knows he can come in line, but he will always have doubts about James Anderson. No batsman in the world is comfortable when the ball is moving. The corridor of uncertainty, remember? It will remain open forever.”

James Anderson
James Anderson (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

Virat Kohli will lead India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, followed by the five-match Test series against England.

The 38-year-old James Anderson, already England’s most successful Test bowler with 616 wickets — the most by any pacer in the format — has had the far more physically demanding task of leading the attack. James Anderson became England’s most-capped Test player when he played his 162nd Test in the 2nd Test vs New Zealand at Edgbaston.

Related Article
IND vs ENG: Missing The Battle Between Virat Kohli And James Anderson, I’m Looking Forward To It – Nasser Hussain
IND vs ENG: Missing The Battle Between Virat Kohli And James Anderson, I’m Looking Forward To It – Nasser Hussain

Feb 7, 2024, 6:35 PM


IND vs ENG: We Feel Well In The Game, We’re Going To Try And Chase It Down – James Anderson Opens Up On Their Strategy For The Record Chase Against India
IND vs ENG: We Feel Well In The Game, We’re Going To Try And Chase It Down – James Anderson Opens Up On Their Strategy For The Record Chase Against India

Feb 5, 2024, 1:45 PM


IND vs ENG: India Were Quite Cautious, Even When They Had A Big Lead – James Anderson On India’s Defensive Batting Approach
IND vs ENG: India Were Quite Cautious, Even When They Had A Big Lead – James Anderson On India’s Defensive Batting Approach

Feb 5, 2024, 1:00 PM


IND vs ENG: That Is A Very Rare Thing To Happen On Indian Pitches – Sanjay Manjrekar Hails James Anderson For His Terrific Bowling Against India
IND vs ENG: That Is A Very Rare Thing To Happen On Indian Pitches – Sanjay Manjrekar Hails James Anderson For His Terrific Bowling Against India

Feb 3, 2024, 4:19 PM


IND vs ENG: To Get Rohit Sharma As My First Wicket Was Very Very Special – Shoaib Bashir Opens Up On The Dream Debut Against India
IND vs ENG: To Get Rohit Sharma As My First Wicket Was Very Very Special – Shoaib Bashir Opens Up On The Dream Debut Against India

Feb 3, 2024, 12:01 PM


IND vs ENG: I Thought He Under-bowled Himself As Captain – Ben Stokes On Utilising Joe Root’s Bowling Prowess In The 1st Test
IND vs ENG: I Thought He Under-bowled Himself As Captain – Ben Stokes On Utilising Joe Root’s Bowling Prowess In The 1st Test

Feb 2, 2024, 12:32 PM


Desktop Banner
Mobile Banner