Virat Kohli's personal coach Sanjay Bangar reveal until when the Indian Legend is planning to play international cricket
Published - 28 Feb 2025, 12:49 PM | Updated - 28 Feb 2025, 12:51 PM
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) head coach and former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar has opened up about the technical tweaks he made in Virat Kohli’s batting that helped him return to his form in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Virat Kohli once again proved why he is one of the greatest match-winners in the world, as he smashed a flawless century to guide India to a six-wicket win over Pakistan in their last group match at the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai.
The Indian batting maestro, who faced criticism after a disappointing Test series against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, found his mojo back in the high-pressure clash against arch-rivals Pakistan with the unbeaten 100 off 111 balls last week.
Sanjay Bangar reveals Virat Kohli’s key batting adjustments after Australia tour
During Virat’s innings, Sanjay Bangar was full of praise at the commentary box, highlighting the technical adjustments that made a difference.
Throughout the BGT 2024-25 against Australia and in India’s opening CT 2025 match against Bangladesh, Kohli had struggled with deliveries outside off-stump, often edging behind, which raised questions on his technique.
However, against Pakistan, the dashing right-hander displayed remarkable discipline, focusing on watching the ball closely and playing with greater control.
He played more on the back foot, handling back-of-a-length deliveries with precision. His improved footwork allowed him to counter both pacers and spinners effectively, particularly with his back-foot play.
Sanjay Bangar was quoted as saying by Times of India, “He (Kohli) waited for the ball to come to him. He really wasn't on the front foot all the time. He was willing to cover the infield as well."
"Against spin, what was good to see in the first half of his innings was that he was playing a lot off the back foot. Then once he got that confidence, he started coming forward. So, starting off on the back foot and then gradually going on to the front foot was the plan.”
Virat Kohli wanted to show the world who he is!!
The former Indian batting coach has further explained that Kohli’s bat was coming down from a wider angle, making him vulnerable to edges in Australia. To fix this, Bangar suggested Kohli adjust his bat swing, ensuring it came down from the second or third slip region.
This helped the former Indian captain to regain control over his shots, and Bangar revealed that Kohli, who leaves no stone unturned in his preparations, was determined to improve after the Australia tour, and now his hard work paid off.
The commentator further noted, “When Kohli was in form, his bat used to come from the second or third slip area, allowing him to play more controlled shots. He brought that intensity to his game, and one could see it in his body language.”
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Virat Kohli can easily play for another 3-4 years for India: Sanjay Bangar
Additionally, Virat Kohli also made key adjustments to his stance, slightly opening it up for better balance against both pace and spin. This helped him judge deliveries more effectively and execute shots smoothly, especially through the offside. He also lowered his back lift slightly, which reduced unnecessary movement and improved his shot play.
The RCB head coach has also pointed out that Kohli’s focus on watching the ball till the last moment made a big difference, and he backed the iconic batter to dominate international cricket for 3-4 years given his intense concentration and hunger for runs.
Bangar signed off by saying, “What he did well was to watch the ball till the end, till it made contact with his bat. That's something we discussed—to watch the ball like a hawk and give more than 100% to each delivery. He is hungry for runs, and going by the innings he played (against Pakistan), he can easily play for another 3-4 years in international cricket.”
