Virat Kohli, at last, gave us a glimpse of his old self just in time for the impending Champions Trophy, breaking a long lean spell with a welcome half-century. Batting in the third and final ODI against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 12, Kohli looked well on his way to a big score. However, his innings was cut short as he once again fell prey to Adil Rashid, marking the second time in the series that the England leg-spinner managed to dismiss him.
While Kohli’s fifty was a positive sign for Indian fans, former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who was on the commentary panel, was left frustrated by the manner of his dismissal. Pietersen was critical of Kohli’s approach to the delivery, pointing out that the Indian batter committed too early on the front foot against a slow, looping ball.
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“He shouldn’t be getting out to that ball. He’s a much better player than that, and he will be kicking himself,” Kevin Pietersen said during the mid-innings show. “That ball was bowled slowly in the air, and he shouldn’t have been over-committed on the front foot. He should have played it off the back foot, punched it into the offside, and continued batting. If he had done that, he could have made a big score.”
Kevin Pietersen went on to compare Kohli’s technique with that of Joe Root, stating that the England batter would never have lost his wicket to such a delivery. He emphasized that Kohli mistimed his shot due to misjudging the ball’s length, causing it to strike the top of the bat rather than the middle.
“You can see where the ball is making contact from the side-on shot—it’s hitting the splice of the bat, so he’d got his lengths wrong,” Kevin Pietersen said. “See how far forward his bat is in front of his pad. He’s too good a player to make that sort of mistake. He shouldn’t be offering Adil Rashid that chance.”
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With the Champions Trophy fast approaching, Kohli’s form has been a matter of concern for Indian fans. He missed the series opener due to a knee issue and managed just five runs in the second ODI. While his fifty in the final game was a step in the right direction, he will be eager to fine-tune his game and ensure he hits top form when it matters most on the big stage.
