Former India opener Aakash Chopra has advised Virat Kohli to show more patience after his repeated dismissals while edging the balls outside off-stump. He even asked Kohli to emulate Sachin Tendulkar, who famously forego the cover drive during the SCG Test in 2004 and scored 241* against Australia.
Weighing in on Kohli's dismissals, former opening batter Aakash Chopra, who was part of that famous SCG Test, feels that although he does not expect Kohli to take up Tendulkar's approach, the India captain can show a little more patience to get his groove back.
Like Kohli, Tendulkar too found himself getting out trying to play shots outside off. He decided to stop playing the cover drive shot at all during that Sydney Test match and played an innings which has been called one of the most disciplined knocks ever.
"Kohli can show a bit more patience. Remember the New Year’s Test match, Sydney 2004 when Sachin Tendulkar was getting out driving and then he didn't play a single drive. I'm not saying go down that road because Sachin had more shots as compared to Virat but then, this is the recipe," Chopra said on the Cricket Live show on Star Sports.
Virat Kohli has not scored a century in international cricket since November 2019 and though he has made scores of importance in past, his inability to go on to make huge scores has started others criticizing him.
Chopra feels the India captain does not have too many weaknesses and reckons a little more application can see the India skipper back to his rollicking form.
"I don't think Kohli has too much of an issue playing the bouncers. It's just about knowing where your off-stump is. Trusting the bounce a little more so you can leave the ball a little more. It doesn't necessarily have to be on line. You don't even need to misread the line; you're not going to get bowled because the ball will be going over the stumps," added Chopra.
Virat Kohli is not playing the ongoing second Test against South Africa due to a back spasm.
