3 Ways Virat Kohli Can Be Dismissed In India Vs Bangladesh Tests

Virat Kohli in action [x] Virat Kohli in action [x]

Test cricket returns to India after almost 6 months as the Bangladesh team is set to tour India for a two-match Test series, starting September 19. Bangladesh recently defeated Pakistan in their own backyard and will be relatively confident of producing another upset.

India, however, have not lost a Test series at home since 2012, and are almost invincibles at home, and hence, the Tigers have a tough task at their hands. Apart from tackling the Indian spinners, and bowling to someone like Rohit Sharma, the visitors also have to face the threat of Virat Kohli.

After career-low performances in Test cricket from 2020-2022, Kohli was back amongst the runs in Test cricket in 2023, and was arguably India's best batter (both home and away). Hence, bowling to him will be a challenge for the Bangladesh bowlers. But, just like any other batter, Kohli, too, has his weaknesses, which the Tigers will look to exploit. Hence, we look at 3 ways in which they can dismiss Kohli in the Test series.

Play with his ego, bowl at fifth-stump line

In the previous article, we discussed how bowlers love to play with Rohit's ego and they deliberately bowl short-pitched deliveries to dismiss him. Similarly, Bangladesh should try and do the same against Kohli.

Bowl at the fifth-stump line outside the off and force Kohli to play his favourite shot - the cover-drive. In the past we have seen that Kohli cannot resist playing that shot, and this has also led to his demise many times.

Someone like James Anderson exploited it to perfection in the past and Bangladesh do have the fast bowlers to do the same. He sometimes plays away from the body and the outside-edge goes to the slips.

Bring on left-arm spinner against Kohli

If there is one particular bowling type which has troubled Kohli in the past, then it has to be the left-arm spinners. He is a phenomenal player of spin bowling, but in recent years, the left-arm spinners have troubled him the most.

If we talk about his numbers against them in ODIs, then Kohli averages 31.36 since 2020, and has been dismissed by them 11-times. The same was the case when India travelled to Sri Lanka for ODIs, and in all the three matches he was dismissed by spinners.

So, Bangladedh should look to incorporate Taijul Islam, the left-arm spinner in the playing XI, as he can be the trouble-maker for Kohli.

Try and trap him on the crease

For some reason, Kohli's range of strokes has decreased over the years. He doesn't play the sweep, hardly plays the cut shot and that has affected his Test match play. He tends to stay inside the crease, and in Indian conditions, it is a dangerous sign since the ball tends to stay low.

Hence, the Bangladesh pacers should try and bring the ball back into the right-hander and trap him leg before the wicket. Taskin Ahmed is a master of in-swing and he should be the one to target Kohli.