“Don’t Think Virat Kohli Needs To Change His Technique Overnight”, Says Ashish Nehra

Former Team India left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra backed Virat Kohli to come good sooner than later and mentioned that the India captain doesn’t need a major overhaul of his technique just because of his failures in the ongoing England Test series.

He credited England bowlers for making life difficult for the Team India captain. But Nehra added that Kohli is good enough to make the chosen alterations needed to revive his mojo. Kohli has made just over 120 runs in the ongoing Test series, while his England counterpart Joe Root has crossed the 500-run mark and hit a century in each of the first three Tests.

Kohli, on the other hand, hit a half-century of international innings without a ton to his name, given that his last century came against Bangladesh at home in a day-night Test in November 2019. He has made just one half-century in this series and has constantly got out edging the balls outside off-stump which he should let go of.

Virat Kohli Knows His Game And Will Make Changes If He Feels He Need To: Ashish Nehra

Opining on Virat Kohli’s ongoing struggles with the ball outside off-stump, India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar had suggested him to adopt the method Sachin Tendulkar used of not hitting the cover drive during his epic 241* against Australia in the SCG Test in 2004.

Talking about the same, Ashish Nehra opined on whether Kohli should take Gavaskar’s advice and whether the India captain can overcome his problems and score big runs.

“First things first, somebody like Virat Kohli, he knows his game, that’s why he is here. He has been successful in the same conditions. Everybody knows when you talk about English conditions; they are not easy. You just spoke about Sunil Gavaskar (urging Kohli to learn from Tendulkar and avoid the shot that is getting him out every time),” Nehra said in an online media interaction organized by Sony.

“Yes, if somebody like Virat Kohli feels he needs to do that, I am sure, he will definitely try to do that. But here, you also correctly mentioned that Virat Kohli got out in the slips, but not while driving all the time. He also got out defending. So it’s not like the ball is not there to drive, yet he is going for a cover drive,” he added.

You Have To Give Credit To England’s Bowlers As Well: Ashish Nehra

England bowlers were on the top of their game especially James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, and Craig Overton as India were skittled out for 78 runs in the first innings at Leeds and then were bowled out for 278 from 215/3 in the second innings to lose by an innings and 76 runs.

Ashish Nehra was also praised for England bowlers and said that they deserved credit for doing such a fine work of keeping one of the best batsmen in the world quiet.

“It’s a mixture of good bowling also. You have to give credit to England’s bowlers as well. Yes, you want Kohli to score a big one once he crosses fifty. But the thing is, the bowlers made matters difficult for everyone, and all the batters know that. Credit to the English team, the way they bounced back and put pressure on Team India’s batting,” Nehra said.

The fourth Test between India and England begins at the Oval on September 2^nd.

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