Former India coach Ravi Shastri has advised current Indian captain Virat Kohli to maintain the tempo of his innings after getting a start. Kohli’s consistent ‘bat-deep’ approach, where he anchors the innings and relies on the lower order to provide the finishing touches, has triggered a debate if such a style is suited for T20 cricket.
Kohli’s approach was questioned after he made 55 off 46 balls in a losing cause against Delhi Capitals at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Saturday night. It was his sixth fifty-plus score of the season, but the pace of his innings probably cost the team another 20 runs.
Shastri believes that Kohli must be aware of the match situation and adapt his game accordingly. “When you are in good form, you tend to get complacent and lose your focus. You must maintain the tempo of your innings and keep the scoreboard ticking,” he said.
Kohli has been in sublime form this season, scoring 466 runs in 12 matches at an average of 42.36 and a strike rate of 127.34. He has scored six fifties and a century, but his strike rate has been a concern for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a few matches.
Shastri, who is currently the head coach of the Indian team, said that Kohli’s approach has worked well for him in the past, but he needs to be more flexible in T20 cricket. “In Test cricket, you can take your time and build an innings. But in T20 cricket, you need to be more proactive and take the initiative. Kohli is a class player, and he knows what works best for him. But he needs to be flexible and adapt his game to the situation,” he said.
Kohli, on his part, has defended his approach and said that he backs his abilities to finish games for RCB. “I know my game well, and I trust my abilities to take the team over the line. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But I am always looking to learn and improve,” he said.
RCB is currently third in the points table with six wins from 12 matches. They need to win at least two of their remaining two matches to secure a place in the playoffs.
