Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has opined that he is still worried about Virat Kohli’s fluency despite the fact he scored 59 runs against Hong Kong on Wednesday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Kohli took 44 balls to score these runs against a depleted bowling attack and didn’t look at his absolute best.
In fact, the talisman was scoring his runs at run-a-ball in the initial phase of the innings and struggled to change gears against the spinners.
Furthermore, Kohli scored 35 runs against arch-rivals Pakistan in the team’s opening game of the Asia Cup but took 34 balls to score his runs as he struggled to find his timing.
Kohli hasn’t yet found his A-game and he will be looking to come up with a much-improved show in the remaining matches of the Asia Cup.
“I am still worried about his fluency. That fluency is still not there which we have seen before. I don’t think we are witnessing fluency yet, even though he scored runs today,” said Jaffer while talking to ESPN Cricinfo.
Kohli scored his runs at a strike rate of 134 against Hong Kong and Jaffer feels it was putting India in trouble as they needed to accelerate in the innings.
“If anyone is scoring at a strike rate of 140 or 150, then India is in trouble. So there must be someone who needs to bat at a much greater strike rate,” said Jaffer.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav scored 68 runs off just 26 balls and took the game away from Hong Kong with his whirlwind batting. Jaffer feels India would have been in trouble if SKY had not played such a blistering knock.
“If not for the knock of Suryakumar Yadav, India would have been in trouble,” said Jaffer.
Virat Kohli will look to be at his best in the upcoming matches and he is going to hold the key for the Indian team while batting at one down.
India is likely to face Pakistan on Sunday.