As India skipper got out for another low score in the ongoing Test series against England, former left-arm spinner Maninder Singh urged him to walk the talk and lead his team from the front.
Before the start of the third Test at Headingley, Kohli had said a batsman needs to keep the ego aside if he is to score runs in challenging English conditions.
He got out for just seven after being forced into another misjudgement outside off by England’s fast bowling great James Anderson on Day 1 of the Test match. With the visitors collapsing to just 78 all out, Kohli’s poor form is attracting more scrutiny.
“If he tries to dominate, like Virat Kohli usually does, these are not the pitches where he can bat like that,”
“These are not flat Indian pitches, where you can just put your foot forward and start driving. And what Kohli preached, he will have to practice. Keep your ego in your pocket.”
Maninder told ESPNcricinfo.
Maninder called for more patience from the Indian skipper at the crease, something that, he said, worked for the batsman on the last trip to England in 2018 when he was the highest run-getter from either side by a distance in some of the most difficult batting conditions.
“He needs to spend some time there, like he did on the previous tour where he scored almost 600 runs. Once you know the pace and know how much the ball is seaming around, then you can carry on playing your shots.”
Notably, Kohli had gotten out in a similar fashion multiple times during his worst period – the 2014 tour of England – where also there was a case of him opening up in his stance in anticipation of the incoming ball and getting beaten on the outside edge a lot.
