"He's trying to manufacture shots that don't even exist"- Ravi Shastri slams Virat Kohli to a corner

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri criticized star batsman Virat Kohli following his failure with the bat against England in the semi-final of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Ravi Shastri said that Virat Kohli should have played the role of an anchor rather than adopting an overly aggressive approach.

Virat Kohli has been going through a disastrous form with the bat in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Kohli could score only nine runs off nine deliveries against England at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on June 27. The right-handed batter has scored 75 runs in seven matches at an average of 10.71 and a strike rate of 100.

The 35-year-old batter registered his first-ever single-digit score at the knock stage of an ICC T20 tournament. Kohli had shown glimpses of form with a six off Reece Topley in the third over. However, he couldn't continue his innings as he was dismissed while playing an aggressive shot against the left-arm pacer.

This Is Not Virat Kohli's Game - Ravi Shastri

Speaking to Star Sports during a rain delay, Ravi Shastri stated that an aggressive approach is not Virat Kohli's game. Shastri emphasized that Kohli should spend a little more time at the crease, especially with Rohit Sharma's aggressive batting on the other end.

"This is not his game. He is going too early for it, especially with Rohit Sharma playing aggressively at the other end. He can make up quite easily once he spends a little more time at the crease. He is more orthodox. And he is going to play in that fashion. When he tries to get out of his zone. He will get out in that fashion," Shastri said.

The Keyword Is Rhythm - Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri emphasized that Virat Kohli is currently lacking rhythm in his batting. Shastri pointed out that Kohli has been attempting to force shots that aren't natural to his game.

"The keyword is rhythm. It's not quite there. If it is in his area, yes, he puts that away. But he has tried to manufacture shots that aren't there. You do that when you are in top form when you have got 300 runs in the competition. Then it's second nature, it comes to you. When you are looking to break free, when the runs are not there, it's not easy," Shastri added.

The Men in Blue continued their winning streak in the ongoing ICC tournament. The Indian team secured a comfortable 68-run victory in the semifinal match to reach the summit clash. The Indian bowlers successfully defended 172 runs against the Jos Buttler-led side in the knockout match in Guyana.

Team India is set to face the South African team in the final match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, June 29. It's worth mentioning that India last won the T20 World Cup in the inaugural 2007 edition in South Africa, defeating Pakistan in the final encounter.

Also read: Watch- Rohit Sharma in tears after avenging 2022 semi-final loss against England; Virat Kohli provides support