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'Don’t Be Afraid' - Ravi Shastri's Blunt Advice To Virat Kohli After Failure Against Bangladesh

Virat Kohli poor form continues (X)Virat Kohli poor form continues (X)

India are playing against Bangladesh in the first Test match of the two-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and prior to this Test match, all eyes were on Virat Kohli as he was making a much-anticipated return to the longest format of the game. 

Virat Kohli's Poor Form Continues Against Bangladesh

Star India batter lean patch continued with the bat as he delivered underwhelming scores of 6 and 17 in the two innings. In the first innings, Kohli was dismissed cheaply after chasing a wide delivery from Hasan Mahmud. 

His second innings saw an even more disappointing end, as he fell victim to a leg-before-wicket decision. Replays showed that Kohli had made contact with the ball before it struck his pads, and had he opted for a review, the decision would have been overturned. However, Kohli chose not to challenge the on-field call.

His struggles against off-spin and deliveries outside the off-stump have been well-highlighted. Over the last few years, these two modes of dismissal have frequently troubled him, and the Chennai Test is no different.

Ravi Shastri's Golden Advice For Virat Kohli 

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was on commentary during the match, analysed Kohli’s ongoing struggles and suggested that the batter needs to be more proactive in tackling spinners.

He also emphasised that Kohli doesn't need to reinvent his game but could benefit from adapting to the current demands.

"He has [gotten out to spinners] especially in the last 2-3 years. But he has scored a lot of runs too. What you want to see him do more is use his feet. Get to the pitch of the ball, probably employ the sweep. You’ve got to move with the times, don’t be afraid to go over the top when the field is up. You could try and do things to unsettle the spinners rather than allowing him to keep bowling at you. It’s what he did a lot when he scored a lot of runs," Shastri said. 

Shastri further added that Kohli’s tendency to remain subdued against spinners is contributing to his troubles, and a more aggressive approach could help him regain his rhythm

Virat Kohli's return to Test cricket after a six-month break was highly anticipated, but his performance in this match has raised concerns about his ongoing form. For the second test, the spotlight will be on him to see if he can overcome his recent struggles and return to the run-scoring machine he once was.