Virat Kohli Takes Charge of Bowling in T20Is After 6 Years With an Economical Over Against Hong Kong

Former India captain Virat Kohli chipped in while defending a mammoth 193-run target by bowling an economical over at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Kohli was asked to bowl the 17th over of the innings when Zeeshan Ali and Kinchit Shah were batting in the middle. The 33-year-old didn’t leak any boundary and bowled an economical 6-run over.

Look who is bowling #INDvHK #ViratKohli #ViratKohli @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/KfCaw4fO6S

— Vinayaka M Poojary (@VinayakMPoojary) August 31, 2022

In 101 T20Is, Kohli has taken just 4 wickets and bowled just 152 deliveries during his illustrious career. The last time Kohli bowled in a T20I match was in 2016.

ASIA CUP 2022: FULL COVERAGE | SCHEDULE | RESULTS India beat Hong Kong by 40 runs to seal a place in the Super 4 stage of Asia Cup 2022. They are the second team to qualify for the next round after Afghanistan who also won their first two matches of the tournament. Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav’s fireworks in the last seven overs and combined with Kohli’s 31st T20I fifty propelled India to reach a daunting 192/2 against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup Group A match. At 94/2 in 13 overs, when KL Rahul’s struggle ended at 36 off 39 balls, Suryakumar walked in and changed the complexion of India’s innings. With his drives, slashes, scoops and sweeps apart from audacious wrist play, he brought out a barrage of boundaries on Hong Kong’s bowlers to remain unbeaten on 68 off 26 balls, hitting six fours and as many sixes. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lku8xeD2x98[/embed]
His stroke-play made other batters on the side look as if they were batting on a very different pitch. Suryakumar also shared a 98-run stand off just 42 balls with Kohli, who made 59 in 44 balls, hitting four and three sixes and brought out some shots in the end as India got 78 runs in the last five overs. It was Kohli’s second T20I half-century this year and a crucial one for him to return to form ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. He started a bit slow and took some time to get settled in the middle, however, managed to end the innings with a decent strike rate of 134.09 with some big shots at the fag end of the innings. Get the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here

#Virat #Kohli #Takes #Charge #Bowling #T20Is #Years #Economical #Hong #Kong https://www.globalcourant.com/virat-kohli-takes-charge-of-bowling-in-t20is-after-6-years-with-an-economical-over-against-hong-kong/?feed_id=18394&_unique_id=630fa4c85e0e4

Virat Kohli's presence doesn't instill fear in bowlers' minds anymore: Aakash Chopra

Former India opener Aakash Chopra said the conversation around Virat Kohli's form is no longer about the wait for his 71st century in international cricket but about his extended lean patch across all formats of the game. Chopra said the narrative has reached a concerning situation for India, especially in the lead up to the T20 World Cup, starting October 16 in Australia. Aakash Chopra said it's becoming more and more evident that Virat Kohli is no longer the player that he was 3 years ago, adding that the 'aura of invincibility' has gone and the bowlers are no longer fearing the former India captain's presence in the middle. Virat Kohli has been going through an extended lean patch in international cricket. Kohli has scored 175 runs in 8 ODIs in 2022 and 220 runs at 31.42 in 4 Tests and just 81 runs in 4 T20Is in the World Cup year. The former captain was expected to regain form when he toured England after a brief back following IPL 2022. However, Kohli struggled to get going in Old Blighty, failing in the rescheduled Test and the 4 limited-overs matches. With his place in the T20I side under scrutiny, Kohli decided to opt out of the tour of the West Indies and Zimbabwe. However, the selection committee and the team management has shown faith in him, picking him for Asia Cup 2022, starting August 27. "There's no doubt in anyone's mind about Virat Kohli's class and his skills, and even if he doesn't score another run in international cricket from here on, he will still be regarded as one of the greatest to have played the game. A man who did superhuman things and mastered all three formats like almost no others," Aakash Chopra wrote in his colum for ESPNCricinfo. "Still, there's also no hiding from the fact that the bat that worked like a magic wand isn't obeying his commands anymore. There are more misses than hits. The aura of invincibility has faded and his presence doesn't instil the same fear in bowlers' minds as it used to earlier," he added. Shedding light on his thoughts on Virat Kohli's lean patch, Chopra pointed out 2 areas of concern which he believes is not helping the former captain hit peak form.

BREAKS TO REGAIN FORM?

While addressing that cricketers are open to taking more breaks than before due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Chopra said he is not entirely convinced about Kohli taking breaks in a bid to regain form. Kohli has played only 4 out of India's 21 T20I assignments in the World Cup year despite struggling to put bat to ball in the shortest format of the game. "For the longest time, the only way to get back into form for a top player was to play as much cricket as possible, even if it meant playing at a slightly lower level. Everyone went through that drill till about a decade ago. But nowadays, poor form is followed by breaks from the game. "I'm not an expert and won't pretend to be one but we really don't know whether that's the best approach towards regaining form and/or confidence. Times have changed and ways of dealing with issues like this might have changed too," Chopra added. Furthermore, Chopra said he believes Kohli is trying way too many things at the start of his innings, moving away from his tried-and-tested method. "The second thing that changed with Kohli - and it only happened after he had not scored enough for a while - was his approach to starting new innings. The foundation of Kohli's batting was an absolute commitment to his method, in a manner that was almost robotic. "But in the last couple of years he seems to have tried various approaches. So much so that you hardly remember what his foolproof old method was. He has gone very hard and he has gone very cautious too. I'm not saying that he has not followed his tried-and-tested method at all but that the deviations from that method have been too frequent," he added. Chopra, however, said he hopes the break helps Kohli return to his best at the Asia Cup. Kohli will be under considerable pressure as he is all set to make his competitive return in a high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on August 28. "Kohli has paid a huge price for his own success, which has included not only others judging him by the lofty standards that he set but also Kohli himself trying to replicate the player he was three years ago. You have almost been able to touch and feel his struggle, and there isn't a cricket lover who hasn't wished for it to end. "Sport should be a source of joy, not agony, for player and viewer alike. We hope that the break he has taken does the trick and the bat becomes his wand again," he added.

--- ENDS ---

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/virat-kohlis-presence-doesnt-instill-fear-in-bowlers-minds-anymore-aakash-chopra/?feed_id=15027&_unique_id=6305b8e5908d2

India need Virat Kohli’s experience at T20 World Cup, hopefully he will regain his form: Ajit Agarkar

Former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar has backed Virat Kohli to be part of India's T20 World Cup squad, saying talks about his future in the shortest format of the game are 'premature'. Agarkar said India will need Kohli's experience on a big stage like the World Cup in Australia and that he hopes the former captain returns to form before India board the flight to Australia.

Virat Kohli has been rested for the 3-match ODI series and the subsequent 5-match T20I series in the West Indies in July-August after he had an underwhelming white-ball series and Test in England. Kohli was expected to get going after he was rested for the home series against South Africa following IPL 2022. However, Kohli scored only 31 runs across 2 innings in the Birmingham Test and 45 runs across 4 white-ball matches vs England.

Even as questions are being asked of frequent rest periods for Virat Kohli, the former skipper opted out of the T20I series after the big guns, including him and Rohit Sharma, were rested for the ongoing ODI series.

Virat Kohli has played only 4 matches in T20I cricket in 2022 as the pressure is mounting on him with the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda making strong claims with T20I hundreds in the ongoing year.

"He is getting starts. At the moment, he is finding new ways to get out. He knows how to score runs. At the moment, he is going through a lean patch which is the fact of life for every great player. Hopefully, for India’s sake, he gets back to form soon as there is a 50-over World Cup next year," Ajit Agarkar told FanCode during the 1st ODI against the West Indies.

"He has got a bit of time till that World Cup. But you don’t want a great player like Virat Kohli to be out of form for long. Even in England, he got a couple of starts but I don’t think he has looked at his best. That’s why everyone is a little bit worried. Sometimes, great players find a way after they get starts but at the moment, he is not.

"I am sure there’s a little bit of worry. There’s a lot of talk about ‘Virat Kohli ko replace karle’, I think it’s not fair," Agarkar added.

YOU NEED TOP PLAYERS AT WORLD CUPS

Furthermore, Agarkar said it's unfair to question Virat Kohli just because young players are performing well while stressing that India will need the big-match player Down Under.

"No doubt that, that’s why I am saying it’s premature (Talks about replacing Virat Kohli). He is not getting runs, a few other players are performing, but come the World Cup in Australia, if India are 2 down, you want Virat Kohli in form, but you want a Virat Kohli batting there. Because he knows how to bat under pressure in the big stages," he added.

"We have got some excellent young players who are doing well but that doesn’t mean you have to suddenly start questioning Virat Kohli. In World Cups, you need top players, you need experience. Hopefully, before that, he will get some runs. Once the confidence is there, he will find the Australian conditions the best to bat," Agarkar said.

Notably, Virat Kohli is likely to return to the T20I squad for the Asia Cup, which will get underway in the final week of August in the UAE.

--- ENDS ---

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/india-need-virat-kohlis-experience-at-t20-world-cup-hopefully-he-will-regain-his-form-ajit-agarkar/?feed_id=356&_unique_id=62db0a31e9703