Virat Kohli last scored a Test century in 2019, it’s been a very long period since then that the former Indian skipper has failed to go past the three-figure mark in red-ball cricket.
During the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023, Kohli has managed to score just 111 runs in his five innings, infact, he hasn’t even scored a fifty in his last 15 innings.
Former Australia batsman Matthew Hayden feels that there is nothing wrong with Kohli’s technique, instead, it’s just a phase where he’s struggling and the 34-year-old simply needs to spend more time on the crease.
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During the ongoing Test series against Australia, Kohli has shown flashes of brilliance, getting decent starts but he’s failed to convert them into big totals.
Hayden, speaking to Star Sports highlighted that technically, Virat is fine, however, there’s a mental issue perhaps which he needs to overcome.
“There seems to be nothing majorly wrong with the technical point of view. The mind that’s where the issue lies. When you get to that stage of the career that Virat has when you have achieved everything and anything in the game, it’s what continues to inspire you as an athlete,” the Aussie legend said.
He continued, “We all know that the highs of Virat are stratosphere highs, there is such a great positive energy that exists. He has such an infectious energy. You can see the adulation that exists for him in the group, the adulation of the fans, amongst the game itself.”
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Hayden hinted that Kohli needs to keep his concentration and that many batsmen find it hard to keep themselves focused in the second half of their careers.
“The question is not so much for us to answer, the question is internally how Virat himself is going to find a way to get through this period. Players go through periods, extended periods where they are not scoring runs. Virat is not scoring runs,” added the veteran.
“So he has to now work out a way as to how he is going to just remain at the crease and be prepared to look a little ugly, look a little unsatisfied, look determined, just to be in the moment and stay in the middle longer. So just the concentration factor is what I am suggesting can become an issue in the back half of our careers. It’s got nothing to do with the technique,” Hayden stated further.
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India’s 9-wicket defeat to Australia saw the visitors seal their place in the final of World Test Championship, and Rohit Sharma’s men will be hoping to book their tickets for the WTC final with a win in the next Test which will be played in Ahmedabad from March 9.
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