Why is Virat Kohli struggling with the bat? Here is what Gavaskar has to say

Virat Kohli has struggled with poor form in the ongoing India vs England Test series. In the second innings of the second Test, India was in a troublesome position when Kohli came out to bat. At 27/2, India had lost both their openers and had just equalled England’s lead.

While everyone expected Kohli to do wonders at Lord’s and take the team to safety, he got out after scoring just 20 runs off Sam Curran’s bowling. He nicked a ball outside off, a kind of dismissal that has become so common with the Indian skipper.

Also read: Revealed: How England pacers clinically plotted Kohli’s dismissal

Among many, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has explained what is wrong with Kohli.

“He has got 8,000 Test runs with that back and across the movement. But he is playing at deliveries way outside off stump and a little too early in the innings. This time around, the foot is somewhere else, the bat is somewhere else, which means that he hasn’t really played well. It could be about this much-talked-about word intent but in a five-day game, every batsman goes in to score runs. It’s the method that differs,” Gavaskar told Sony Sports Network.

In the first innings of the Test, Kohli appeared cautious, scoring 42 off 103 balls. But in the second, Kohli was more positive, getting to 20 off 31 balls. Gavaskar says the India captain could have played himself a little more, as that is what a Test match is all about.

Also read: Pak great Inzamam-Ul Haq is bowled over by this Indian batsman’s exploits

“When you talk about this ‘trying to take this attack to the opposition’ approach, and if that is what intent is, it can get you into trouble as we saw. I think every batsman should be left alone to find his own method. This is a Test match. In ODI and T20I, it’s a completely different situation, but over here, what they need to look into is get themselves in and try to play in the old-fashioned V. Play only when you have fought through,” Gavaskar said.

India ended Day 4 at 181/6 in their second innings, leading England by 154 runs.