Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar on Friday (1st July) talked about Virat Kohli’s struggle with the bat. He reflected errors in the right-hander’s innings in the ongoing fifth Test against England at Edgbaston.
Kohli’s poor run of form continued as the former Indian skipper was yet again dismissed for a low score. The 33-year-old could manage only 11 runs in India’s first essay.
Kohli tried to play at a delivery near the off stump and then tried to leave it at the last minute. As a result of which he only managed an inside edge and the ball went on to hit the leg stump.
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Kohli’s dismissal was analysed by many pundits. While many felt that it is his rotten luck that’s not favouring him, few feel that he’s getting tempted to the ball outside off.
In a conversation on ESPNCricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar said that Kohli’s confidence has gone down a bit. He highlighted technical issues in the batter’s technique and feels that the former Indian skipper is enduring bad luck as well.
"What do I say, as an expert when I see I have some opinion that the confidence has gone down a little, he is enduring slight bad luck also, there are technical issues, I feel he is playing a lot on the front foot but it is not because of this he is not scoring runs, runs are scored despite all this. Everyone does not have the technical perfection but they score runs," Sanjay Manjrekar said.
Manjrekar added that Kohli’s poor form is surprising him as it has gone on for so long.
"Virat Kohli's form is surprising me because it came suddenly. When great batters go out of form, they come back in form quickly. You will have to say that we don't know how the out-of-form phase has gone on for so long,” he said.
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Manjrekar said that Kohli showed good fight in the first innings and scored runs against James Anderson but the ball that was pitched up got him into double mind.
"Today also his fight was on. Outside the off-stump bowling is done to him. He tries his best from his side to stay there but on one ball which was pitched slightly up, he got double-minded, because generally he leaves with a clear mind. He scored runs against Jimmy Anderson by leaving deliveries," he said.
The former Indian cricketer said that Kohli was also hesitant while leaving the ball and admitted that when someone is out of form such things happen.
"It is the first time we saw that he was hesitant while leaving as well. The last innings he played in South Africa, he probably scored 23 runs and played for three hours and 13 minutes, this is Virat Kohli, an all-time great batter. When a guy is out of form such things happen, which surprise you," he said.
Coming to the match, after Kohli’s wicket India lost Shreyas Iyer as well and found themselves tumbling at 95/5. Rishabh Pant then stood tall for his side and slammed a 111-ball 146 runs to bail his team out of trouble.
He along with Ravindra Jadeja (83*) put on a partnership of 222 runs for the sixth wicket, the joint highest by India against England in Tests, to help India end Day 1 with the score of 338/7.
(ESPNCricinfo inputs)
