India batting coach Vikram Rathour has acknowledged star batter Virat Kohli’s struggles in the ongoing T20 World Cup, taking place in the USA and West Indies.
However, Rathour mentioned that Kohli's lean run have provided an opportunity for the team's less experienced players to step up to the plate and make valuable contributions.
On Thursday (June 20), India recorded a comprehensive 47-run victory over Afghanistan in their first Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
While the team continued its unbeaten run in the tournament, Kohli failed to make a mark with the bat, scoring only 24 runs off 24 balls. This was his first double-digit score in the competition.
"I'm not happy. I would love it if he gets going and scores more runs," Rathour said, as quoted by PTI.
"But yeah, it is good when you are challenged at times. You know, the guys who are not getting too much of batting in India sometimes, they are the ones who put up scores today and our middle-order came to play. So, it was good to see," he added.
Amid Kohli’s struggles, the likes of Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav have risen to the occasion for India. While Pant scored 20 off 11 balls against Afghanistan, Surya slammed a dazzling half-century (53 off 28 balls) to propel the inaugural champions to 181/8 in 20 overs.
The Men in Blue are due to face Bangladesh in their next Super 8 fixture in Antigua on Saturday (June 22). With a squad that features four quality spinners, India seem well-equipped to tackle the conditions in the Caribbean.
"We've always had depth as a team, I believe. But yeah, these conditions maybe suit us more because we can afford to play two or three spinners at times. So that I believe can be our best team. That is our strength.
"It feels like...somebody like Axar (Patel) playing at eight gives you a lot of confidence because he can bat and he's bowling really well at the moment. So, it does give you a lot of options," Rathour stated.
The batting coach expects the playing conditions in the Caribbean to be a lot better compared to those faced in New York, where the Indian team played its three Group A matches on two-paced wickets.
"We already played in the worst possible conditions in New York. So, anything after that is feeling good only. So, I am expecting wickets to be better (here)," said Rathour.
Bangladesh will enter the match following a defeat against Australia and are considered one of the tournament's less challenging opponents. However, Rathour emphasized that India won’t commit the mistake of taking any team lightly.
"They're a good unit. They have a lot of guys who can spin the ball and they are good in certain conditions. And these conditions do suit them a little as a team I think because the wickets seem to have a bit of help for the spinners and they do have spinners in their team.
"But again, in this format I think every team is a tough team. I don't believe any contest in T20 cricket is an easy contest," he remarked.
(With PTI Inputs)
