World Cup-winning spinner Harbhajan Singh has called on Virat Kohli to rediscover his confidence and play more freely against spinners after the star batter struggled in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Bangladesh. Kohli, who scored a sluggish 22 off 38 balls, was dismissed by leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, raising concerns about his approach against spin bowling.
Facing 10 dot balls against spin before his dismissal, Kohli appeared to be under pressure, unable to rotate the strike effectively. His struggles were evident, especially after Rohit Sharma provided India with a blazing start, scoring 41 off 36 balls. The momentum dipped once Rohit departed, and Kohli’s inability to find gaps compounded India’s slowdown before Shubman Gill’s century secured the six-wicket victory.
Harbhajan highlighted Kohli’s issues against leg-spinners and emphasized the need for a clear strategy to counter them. “Leg-spinners seem to be troubling him. He needs to figure out a way to turn those dot balls into singles. When you’re not in great form, you take extra time to settle, and that’s what’s happening with him right now,” Harbhajan Singh told India Today.
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He stressed that cricket is a game where reputation doesn’t guarantee success—only intent and execution matter.
“No matter how great you are, your reputation alone won’t save you. It’s about what you do on the field. Kohli needs to back himself and play the way he always has. He’s a champion player, and even if he retires today, he’ll be remembered as a legend. He just needs to free his mind and enjoy his batting.”
Kohli’s struggles against spin have been a recurring issue. During the ODI series against England, he was dismissed twice by Adil Rashid. Even during his rare Ranji Trophy appearance last month, he failed to make an impact. His issues against spin were also exposed during India’s tour of Sri Lanka last year, where the Lankan spinners troubled him repeatedly.
Harbhajan Singh believes that Kohli’s challenge is more psychological than technical. “Today was a perfect opportunity for him to find form ahead of the Pakistan game. But it didn’t happen. His innings was slow, and he struggled to rotate strike against spinners. In Australia, we saw him playing lofted cover drives and sweep shots with confidence. He needs to trust himself again.”
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With a crucial match against Pakistan on February 23, India will be hoping Kohli finds his rhythm soon. Harbhajan warned that if India faces Afghanistan in the semi-finals, Kohli could be up against three high-quality spinners, making it vital for him to regain his touch. “He needs to work on it now. The team needs him to score. People are there to watch him—he just needs to go out and enjoy his game.”
