Anil Kumble exposes Virat Kohli with 'domestic cricket' reminder following struggles against spin

Former India head coach Anil Kumble stirred up discussions about Virat Kohli's absence from domestic cricket ahead of the home Test series. Anil Kumble said that Virat Kohli should have played in the Irani Cup or other such tournaments as preparation for the home Test series against New Zealand.

Kohli scored one run during India's first innings of the Test at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday, October 25. He played a poor shot against Mitchell Santner, leading to his dismissal. Kohli played across the line to a low full toss, but the ball went through the bat and pad gap.

Would Have Benefitted Virat Kohli - Anil Kumble

Speaking on JioCinema during the lunch break, Anil Kumble pointed out that Kohli's absence from domestic cricket might have affected his batting performance. However, Kumble said that it shouldn’t be considered the only reason for Kohli's struggles against spin.

"Perhaps just one or two innings in a match situation could have helped. Being in an actual game is definitely more beneficial than just practice; it gives an upper hand. If he feels that playing earlier would have benefited him, and the team management agrees, then maybe it would have. However, I don't think we can look at that as the only reason for his struggles against spin," Kumble said on Jio Cinema.

Since 2021, Virat Kohli has played 26 innings in Asia, scoring 606 runs at an average of 28.85 and a strike rate of 49.67. Notably, he has been dismissed by spinners 21 times, which shows his ongoing struggles against spin bowling.

Virat Kohli vs Spin in Asia since 2021

The Pitches have Often Favoured Spin - Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble said that Kohli's struggles against spin have been influenced by pitch conditions favoring spinners, especially when he came to the crease. He said that it's just a mental issue but is also due to the favorable conditions for spin bowling.

"When he's come to the crease, the pitches have often favoured spin, which is a significant factor. His challenges against spin at the start of his innings haven't been solely due to mindset but also conditions that aided spinners."

"This contributed to the dismissals of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli to the left-arm spin of Glenn Phillips, who was brought on as a strategic move. Even the best modern-day batters find these situations tricky," Kumble further explained.

Before the home series against Bangladesh last month, several regular Indian players were included in the Duleep Trophy squad for one match to gain match practice. Players like Rishabh Pant, Akash Deep, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were included in the squad.

However, senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were left out as the BCCI wanted to avoid any injury risks. This decision faced criticism from former cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Sunil Gavaskar.

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