"I’m not going to defend Virat Kohli" - Dinesh Karthik's blunt take on batter's struggles against spin in Sri Lanka

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has opened up about ace batter Virat Kohli's struggles against spin during the recently concluded three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Dinesh Karthik said that he is not defending Virat Kohli but added that it was tough to bat on turning tracks in Sri Lanka.

Virat Kohli failed to make an impact with the bat during the recently concluded ODI series in Sri Lanka. Kohli started the series with 24 runs in the first match. He was then dismissed for 14 and 20 runs in the next two matches, respectively. Notably, the right-handed batter was dismissed LBW in all three matches.

The Men in Blue tied the first ODI of the three-match series while chasing a 230-run target. The Rohit Sharma-led team suffered shocking losses by 32 and 110 runs in the second and third ODIs, respectively. It is worth mentioning that it was India's first bilateral ODI series loss against Sri Lanka since 1997.

Not Going To Defend Virat Kohli - Dinesh Karthik

On Cricbuzz's "Hey CB with DK," Dinesh Karthik was asked by a fan about Virat Kohli's struggles against spin in the recent series. Karthik highlighted that the pitch made it difficult for all batsmen, including Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to handle spin between overs 8 to 30.

“It’s been a tough pitch to play spin in this series, let’s admit that first. Be it Virat Kohli, be it Rohit Sharma, or be it anyone else. With the slightly semi-new ball between overs about 8 to 30, it’s been hard work. It’s nothing to worry about. Not too many pitches work that way, but it’s been a tough pitch to play spinners. I’m not going to defend Virat Kohli here, but I can tell you that playing spin was very hard,” Karthik said.

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It Is Understandable Players Losing Their Quality - Dinesh Karthik

When asked if India has forgotten how to play against spinners, Dinesh Karthik said that international teams generally face more fast bowlers, with fewer spinners, unless on slow-turning pitches. Karthik mentioned that players tend to focus on fast bowling, leading to a decline in their spin-playing skills.

"Hi Dinesh, can we say that our Indian cricket team has focused more on playing spacers and forgetting playing against spinners? The way batsmen are getting out against spin is something, we must improve. Our game against spin has been poor over time," a fan asked.

"But because the truth is, every team plays three fast bowlers, at times four. But just the one spinner, sometimes two unless you play on slow-turning pitches, which doesn't happen too often. So when you come from domestic cricket, getting to international cricket, your focus is on playing fast bowling, and hence it is understandable players losing their quality to play spin bowling over a period of time," Karthik replied.

Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement from all formats of cricket in India after the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He has been appointed as the mentor of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Karthik will play for Paarl Royals in next year’s SA20.

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