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Batting coach Vikram Rathore on Sunday 16th July defended Virat Kohli’s sluggish innings in the opening Test against the West Indies at Windsor Park in Dominica on Day 3 (Friday 14th July).
The former India captain was praised by Rathore for his adaptability and defense, especially against left arm spinners, which puts India in the driver’s seat. The cricketer turned coach believes that Kohli will surely score a century in the upcoming Second Test.
Rathor told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI):
“He (Virat Kohli) bats very well. As a batting coach I think cricket is about adaptability. He plays one type of game, he is an aggressive player who likes to control, but the best player is the one who can change his style of play. The one who can Playing according to the conditions and requirements of the team is a better player for the team.”
The 54-year-old continued:
“It is Virat’s greatest quality. He’s someone who can play different shapes differently. He can change his game depending on the circumstances and he has shown that (many times). On those wickets, he was turning a lot. By the time he got out to bat, there was a huge turn and bounce in the show.
Rathor added:
“The way he defended against left arm spinners was a lesson to many youngsters about how to play when the ball goes away from you. The way he defended and played his innings was very good to watch. As he got close, he batted, he would definitely score 100.”
Kohli scored 76 runs off 182 balls, including five half-centuries. The right-handed batsman shared a century partnership with Fattah Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket and then sewed a stand of 99 with Ravindra Jadeja for the fifth wicket as India declared on 421/5. Partnerships came after India lost their consecutive wickets.
The visitors won the match by an innings and 141 runs two days earlier.
Virat Kohli looks on at a slew of records in the second Test against the West Indies
By knocking out 76 runs, Virat Kohli has edged Virender Sehwag (8,503) to enter the list of India’s top five run-scorers in Tests. He is now only behind VVS Laxman (8,781), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122), Rahul Dravid (13,265), and Sachin Tendulkar (15,921).
The Delhi-born batsman also needed just 102 runs to complete 1,000 runs in the Tests against the West Indies. Kohli will next appear in action in the second Test against West Indies at Queens Park Oval, Port of Spain in Trinidad, starting on 20 July.
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