The Indian skipper, Virat has been waiting for his 71st international century for 20 months now, and when he had scored his 70th was racing towards the iconic landmark of 100 tons. The last century came during the pink-ball Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata. As Kohli gears up for the Headingley Test after a remarkable win at Lord’s over England, former India women’s team skipper, Anjum Chopra decodes what is possibly going wrong with Virat’s batting technique.
During a recent chat with India Today, Anjum Chopra said Kohli is probably trying too hard to become flawless in England, knowing he is up against some of the best in the business. Anjum Chopra explained, “I think he is trying too hard. I feel he is trying very, very hard to be error-free. He knows he has got the game and the temperament, but when you focus too much, sometimes you tend to falter. I just feel he is making a slight error in judgment.”
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She further added, “But I don’t blame him. When the competition is so much, when you’re trying to be error-free in a contest between two cricketing nations, India and England. And then there is a James Andeson who is up against the Indian captain. On the other hand, it’s pretty natural. It’s not happened because it’s Virat Kohli, it happens to everyone. It’s happening with Cheteshwar Pujara, it happened with Ajinkya Rahane also — being cautious and very careful.”
Anjum Chopra highlighted that Kohli looked classy during his gritty knock of 42 in the 2nd innings of the Lord’s Test against England, which India went on to win by 151 runs.
Former Indian skipper explained, “I am sure he knows the remedy as well. He has got to play the ball and not the bowler. Just play the one-ball game. We always tell ourselves as batters that we need to focus on one ball, you have to make sure you are focused on the fraction of second the bowler delivers the ball. So it’s all about keeping it simple and following the basics. That 42 (at Lord’s) was good. Those cover drives, those pushes, those were perfect shots.”
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Kohli has not put a foot wrong as captain so far on the England tour as he was in his element, sending out warning notices to the opposition when he interacted with the press on the eve of the 3rd Test in Headingley. However, Virat conceded that England is one of the toughest places to bat and it’s important that a batter swallows his/her ego when batting in the Old Blighty.
