Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik spoke about Virat Kohli's recent struggles with the bat in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Karthik admitted that Kohli is struggling with balls outside the off-stump, but also claimed that India's star batsman is trying to fight back.
Virat Kohli is going through one of the toughest phases of his career right now. The veteran is struggling for runs as the Australian bowlers have constantly threatened to bowl at the fourth and fifth stumps.
Almost all of Kohli's dismissals in this series have been in an identical fashion, with the ball drifting away to take the outside edge to be caught behind the wickets. The 36-year-old struggled for time at the crease as relentless Australian bowlers noticed his weakness.
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'He is a fighter' – Dinesh Karthik on Virat Kohli
During a segment on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik was asked about Virat Kohli's thought process during such a poor run of form and the things he gets wrong. Karthik claimed that Kohli is a fighter and will not sit down quietly.
He cited the example of the Gabba Test when the Indian star went straight into the nets after being dismissed cheaply. Karthik believes that Kohli wants to get into that rhythm quickly so that he can play a long innings.
“He (Virat Kohli) is a fighter. Even after he got out in the Gabba, the only thing he did was go to the nets and try to pick up the pace again. He wants to get into a certain area to do it. Well, that's what he wants to do,” said Karthik.
“He won't give up. He's not one of those characters that's going to say, “Oh! He's not coming.” He's going to fight, he's going to do his best and that's the kind of man he is,” he added.
How can it be #Kohli tackle his troubles outside the stump❓@DineshKarthik answers, on #HeyCB#AUSWIND pic.twitter.com/sCM6ykwfnv
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) December 23, 2024
Dinesh Karthik talks about Virat Kohli's thought process
While talking about his weakness off the off-stump, Dinesh Karthik revealed about Virat Kohli's thought process and how he can get to the area where he can be successful again.
“He knows the only major area the Australians have targeted in this series is right around the fourth and fifth stumps. How he's going to get access to that ball where he thinks he can leave the ball if necessary and play a shot if necessary is the only area he wants to get into now,” explained Karthik.
Virat Kohli has been dismissed in five of the six innings he has played so far. The 36-year-old batsman went off his outside edge on all five occasions. The bowlers have been bowling to a special plan which has been very successful against Kohli so far.
Virat Kohli's numbers in BGT 2024-25
Virat Kohli has scored 126 runs in five innings in the ongoing Test series at an average of 31.50. He scored a brilliant hundred in the second innings of the Perth Test and seemed to have regained his touch.
However, his bat has been quiet since then and he has struggled to stay at the crease for long. The testing conditions and the high-class Australian bowling attack didn't help Kohli's cause either.
Kohli has had a poor time with the bat since the start of India's home Test season in September this year. He scored 192 runs in five Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand at an average of just 21.33. His poor form continued in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well.