ENG vs IND: Virat Kohli Needs Little More Concentration And Strong Willpower: Saba Karim

Saba Karim says Virat Kohli must improve his attention and resolve in order to stop his elusive hunt for a big score.

On Thursday, July 14, Kohli hit 16 runs off 25 deliveries in the second One-Day International against England. His departure saw Team India being reduced to 31/4 in the 12th over while chasing a 247-run, and they went on to lose the match by a whopping 100 runs.

Virat Kohli’s Speciality Has Always Been To Play Close To The Body: Saba Karim

Saba Karim was questioned about Kohli’s magnificent drives before he was removed during a talk on Sony Sports.

He responded: “I feel he needs a little more concentration and stronger willpower to emerge from this phase. This story has been repeated by Virat Kohli many times. That is why we have been saying how good he looks, he is in good form, but the search for the big score is still there.”

“Virat Kohli’s speciality has always been that he allows the ball to come close to his body and then he plays his shots. But the way he has been getting out, the way he got out today as well, the ball was too far outside the off-stump and he tried to flirt with it and the result was that he got out again.

“I am seeing a pattern in Virat Kohli’s dismissals, what happens before that. We saw in the Test matches that he played fantastic drives off the front foot, so are bowlers setting him up like that?

“They first pitch it up to him, so that he commits himself on the front foot and then shorten the length slightly and then get a wicket there.

“It is necessary for Virat Kohli to understand this and then find a solution for it. You can emerge from this phase if you are ready to bring a change in your game plan,” Karim added.

Virat Kohli will hope to get a big score in the 3rd ODI.

Also Read: I Tweeted Thinking It Will Give Virat Kohli Just Some Support: Babar Azam On His Tweet, ‘This Too Shall Pass’