Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop feels it is concerning that Virat Kohli is not getting ahead of the rate. Kohli scored 30 runs from 33 balls against Chennai Super Kings at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday.
The talisman failed to hit the ground running and was searching for timing like a wanderer looking for water in a desert.
Furthermore, Bishop, who is known for his valuable insights, added that Kohli is putting pressure on his team as he isn’t batting right through the innings. Kohli just couldn’t change gears and scored his runs at a strike rate of 90, which is well below par.
In fact, the pitch was providing assistance to the spinners but still, Kohli’s knock was not up to the mark. The linchpin faced 16 dot balls and he was involved in a run-out with Glenn Maxwell as the scoring pressure increased on him.
Kohli was castled by Moeen Ali as the off-spinner found the gap between his bat and pad. Furthermore, Kohli had scored 58 runs off 53 balls against Gujarat Titans as he couldn’t score at a brisk pace.
“If you’re not getting ahead of the rate and going at a run-a-ball, you need to bat deep into the innings,” Ian Bishop told ESPNCricinfo.
“He didn’t get ahead, and there wasn’t much intent. He hit one [six] over extra-cover off the seamer, and that was when he just went ahead to a run-a-ball, and then he came back.
“And he isn’t going deep into the innings either. So those deliveries don’t come back to you. Even if RCB won, that wasn’t an innings, even given the difficulties of the pitch, that you could say caused a match-winning total,” he added.
Bishop added that Kohli’s poor form is a concern as he isn’t batting the way he used to bat. Kohli has had his trouble against off-spinners in the past and Moeen Ali was able to get his wicket.
“This is something we’ve been seeing with Virat, not just this season. Even last season, I remember, and even sometimes internationally, he’ll fly out – he didn’t fly out tonight – and then he’ll slow down again. So, I’m concerned,” he added.
“Roston Chase got him out in the West Indies series, we saw him getting out to the off-spinner in Test matches. So, I’m concerned about and I’m a Kohli fan. I tune in to watch cricket when Kohli’s at his best, so it isn’t a criticism but an observation that I am concerned at a number of types of bowlers are getting him out and he’s not getting ahead of the rate.”
RCB will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday.
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