Dinesh Karthik recently discussed Virat Kohli‘s training routine in preparation for the Test series between India and Bangladesh. His remarks followed the conclusion of the first Test in Chennai. Karthik spoke with Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz Chatter about Kohli’s struggles against spin bowling in recent years.
Since 2021, the 35-year-old has managed only 499 runs at an average of around 28 against spinners in Asia. In the second innings of the first Test, Kohli was dismissed LBW by Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 17, extending his challenging run against spinners in the region.
When asked about Kohli’s struggles against spinners, Karthik offered several insights. He believes that players today are spending more time on white-ball cricket, which has led to less emphasis on defensive techniques. Karthik thinks that Indian cricketers tend to concentrate more on improving their skills against pace bowlers, as they face them more frequently.
Additionally, Dinesh Karthik revealed Virat Kohli’s preparations for the upcoming Test series. He mentioned that Kohli participated in rigorous net sessions with newly-appointed assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate in the UK.
“He did have three good net sessions in the UK with Ryan ten Doeschate. So it’s not like he’s not been completely batting,” Karthik said. [4:30 onwards]
Kohli traveled directly from London to Chennai for the first Test, while the rest of the team arrived in the city together.
How has Virat Kohli performed against spinners in Tests?
According to ESPNcricinfo, Virat Kohli has faced more than 6,650 balls from spinners in Test cricket, scoring 3,766 runs at an impressive average of about 58. Out of 140 innings, he has been dismissed by spinners 65 times.
Discussing his performance against spin in India, Kohli has accumulated more than 2,400 runs at an average of 56. However, he has been dismissed by spinners 43 times out of 74 innings, possibly due to pitch conditions.
Despite this, Virat Kohli maintains an overall average of 48.74 in 114 Tests, with over 8,800 runs and 29 centuries. He ranks fourth among India’s highest run-scorers in Test cricket.
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