India’s white-ball tour of the United Kingdom has turned into a forgettable campaign so far. After suffering a 2-0 T20I series defeat against Ireland, the Men in Blue endured another disappointing outing in England, where the hosts sealed the five-match T20I series 3-0 with one match still to play. The back-to-back setbacks have intensified scrutiny on India’s rebuilding phase under head coach Gautam Gambhir. However, attention will now shift to the three-match ODI series against England, where experienced stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to return under the captaincy of Shubman Gill.
With India’s senior batters back in action, expectations will be high as the visitors look to end their UK tour on a positive note. Ahead of the ODI series, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar reflected on Virat Kohli’s remarkable transformation against swing bowling and revealed the extraordinary preparation that helped the batting great conquer English conditions after his difficult 2014 tour.
Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, Bangar explained that Kohli treated his failures in England as an opportunity to improve rather than something to forget. Instead of accepting his struggles against the moving ball, the former India captain worked relentlessly on his technique between 2017 and 2018, ensuring he was better equipped for his next tour of England.
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“When you go to England, the entire game comes down to two things: how well you counter the swing and how late you can play the ball. Because Virat Kohli did not have a great run during the 2014 tour, he put in an immense amount of work during 2017-18 to fix that,” Sanjay Bangar said.
The former India batting coach emphasised that success in England depends on patience, soft hands, and the ability to play the ball as late as possible. According to Bangar, these became the cornerstone of Kohli’s preparation before returning to English conditions.
Bangar also revealed that the Indian coaching staff recreated English-like conditions during practice sessions in Mumbai. Players reported to the ground as early as 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning to make the most of the dew and moisture, allowing bowlers to generate movement similar to what they would encounter in England.
“Our routine was brutal. We would hit a ground in Mumbai by 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning just to chase the early dew. We wanted to replicate English conditions by utilising the heavy morning atmosphere and the natural moisture on the pitch,” Sanjay Bangar recalled.
He further disclosed that when the sun dried the pitch, the support staff deliberately watered it to maintain seam movement and swing, creating even tougher batting conditions.
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“If the sun came out and the moisture started dropping, we would literally pour extra water onto the surface just to keep the ball snaking around,” he added. Bangar praised Kohli’s unwavering commitment, saying the star batter never shied away from these physically demanding sessions. Repeating the drills day after day helped Kohli overcome one of the biggest weaknesses in his game and eventually become one of India’s most successful batters in England.
The former coach also noted that several Indian batters benefited from these realistic simulations, as they arrived in England already accustomed to similar conditions. Bangar believes that meticulous preparation played a key role in India’s improved performances overseas and highlighted Kohli’s work ethic as a benchmark for aspiring cricketers.
