Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik spoke about Virat Kohli’s recent struggle with the bat in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Karthik admitted that Kohli has issues with balls off the off-stump, while claiming that the star Indian batsman is trying to combat it.
Virat Kohli is currently going through one of the toughest phases of his career. The veteran struggles for runs as the Australian bowlers threaten to hit him at the fourth and fifth stumps.
Almost all of Kohli’s dismissals in this series have been the same way the ball has gone outside the offside only to be caught behind the wickets. The 36-year-old struggled to get time at the crease as the relentless Australian bowlers saw his weakness.
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“He’s a fighter” – Dinesh Karthik on Virat Kohli
During a segment on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik asked about Virat Kohli’s thought process in such poor form and what he did wrong. Karthik claimed that Kohli is a fighter and will not sit still.
He cited an example from the Gabba Test where the Indian star went straight to the nets after being dismissed cheaply. Karthik feels that Kohli wants to get into that rhythm early so that he can play long shots.
“He (Virat Kohli) is a fighter. Even after coming out at the Gabba, all he does is come to the net and try to get the rhythm again. He wants to put himself in a certain zone. Well, that’s what he’s looking for,” Karthik said.
“He’s not going to give up. He’s like, ‘Oh! He’s not one of those characters who will say, ‘It won’t come.’
How can #Kohli fight with his stumps outside❓@DineshKarthik answers, open #HeyCB#AUSWIND pic.twitter.com/sCM6ykwfnv
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) December 23, 2024
Dinesh Karthik talks about Virat Kohli’s thought process
Dinesh Karthik revealed Virat Kohli’s thought process and how he can get into the zone where he can succeed again while talking about his weakness off the stumps.
“He knows the one key area where the Australians are targeting him in this series is fourth and fifth stump. How he’s going to come into the ball where he believes he can leave the ball if he needs to and start the innings if he needs to. That’s the only zone he wants to come in at the moment,” he said. Karthik.
Virat Kohli has been dismissed in five of the six innings he has played so far. The 36-year-old striker has been excluded five times. The bowlers have come up with a particular plan that has been very successful against Kohli so far.
Virat Kohli’s numbers in BGT 2024-25
Virat Kohli scored 126 runs at an average of 31.50 in five innings of the ongoing Test series. He scored a brilliant hundred in the second innings of the Perth Test and seemed to have regained his touch.
However, the bat has been quiet ever since and he has struggled to stay at the crease for long. Test conditions and a top-class Australian bowling attack didn’t help Kohli’s cause either.
Kohli has had a poor time with the bat since the start of India’s home Test season in September this year. He scored just 21.33 for 192 runs in five Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand. His poor form continued in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
