Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik has opened up on Virat Kohli’s recent struggles with the bat in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Karthik admitted that Kohli is having issues with the balls outside the off stump but also claimed that the star India batter is trying to fight it out.
Virat Kohli is having one of the most difficult phases of his career right now. The veteran is struggling for runs as the Australian bowlers have constantly threatened to bowl at the fourth and fifth stump to him.
Almost all of Kohli’s dismissals this series have been in an identical way with the ball moving away to take the outside edge to be caught behind the wickets. The 36-year-old has struggled to spend time at the crease as the relentless Australian bowlers have spotted his weakness.
Watch: Cooper Connolly’s skyscraper shot hits the Stadium roof in BBL, Umpires call it a dead ball
“He is a fighter” – Dinesh Karthik on Virat Kohli
During a segment on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik was asked about Virat Kohli’s thought process during such a poor run of form and the things where he is going wrong. Karthik claimed that Kohli is a fighter and won’t sit down quietly.
He cited the example of the Gabba Test when the Indian star went straight into the nets after being dismissed cheaply. Karthik believes that Kohli wants to get into that rhythm quickly so that he can play a long innings.
“He (Virat Kohli) is a fighter. Even after he got out in Gabba, the one thing that he did is going to the nets and try and get the rhythm again. He wants to get himself into a certain zone for him to do well. That’s what he is looking to do,” Karthik said.
“He is not going to give up. He is not one of those characters who is going to say, ‘Oh! It’s not coming’. He will fight it, he’ll do everything possible and that’s the kind of man he is,” he added.
How can #Kohli tackle his outside off-stump woes❓@DineshKarthik answers, on #HeyCB#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/sCM6ykwfnv
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) December 23, 2024
Dinesh Karthik speaks on Virat Kohli’s thought process
While speaking on his weakness outside off stump, Dinesh Karthik revealed about Virat Kohli’s thought process and how he can get into the zone where he can be successful again.
“He knows the one major area that the Australians have targeted him in this series is just around the fourth and fifth stump. How is he going to get access to that ball where he believes he can leave the ball if necessary and play a shot if it is required. That’s the only zone he wants to be entering into right now,” Karthik explained.
Virat Kohli has been dismissed in five out of the six innings he has played so far. The 36-year-old batter has been out off his outside edge on all five occasions. The bowlers have bowled to a particular plan which has been highly successful against Kohli so far.
Virat Kohli’s numbers in BGT 2024-25
Virat Kohli has scored 126 runs in five innings of the ongoing Test series at an average of 31.50. He scored a brilliant hundred in the second innings of the Perth Test and it seemed like he has regained his touch.
However, his bat has been silent since and he has struggled to stay in the crease for a long time. The testing conditions and the high-class Australian bowling attack haven’t helped Kohli’s cause as well.
Kohli has had a poor time with the bat since the start of India’s home Test season in September this year. He scored 192 runs in five Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand at an average of just 21.33. His poor form has continued in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well.
