Team India skipper Virat Kohli’s lean patch with the bat has been the point of debate so far in the ongoing series against England. As the visitors take the field for the penultimate Test, former cricketer VVS Laxman has stated that Kohli has lacked the initial trigger movement, which brought India a bag full of success during the 2018 tour.
The talismanic run-scorer has managed only one half-century so far in the series which is quite unlike of his stature. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, VVS Laxman feels Virat Kohli’s shuffling has caused a dip in his form which he avoided during India’s last tour of England, three years back.
Indians with most Test fifties in SENA countries:
40 – Sachin Tendulkar
27 – Rahul Dravid
22 – Virat Kohli
20 – VVS Laxman
19 – Sunil Gavaskar— Stick Cricket (@stickcricket) September 1, 2021
“I just feel that Virat Kohli’s trigger movement, which he successfully displayed during the 2018 series is missing. Right from the first Test match, I have maintained that whenever he is shuffling, his right leg is almost on the first stump because of which he is playing at the balls he left during the 2018 series,” Laxman said.
The fifth-sixth stump channel has continuously haunted Virat Kohli as he poked the deliveries, resulting in an edge. Kohli has so far managed only 124 runs from three matches, with the highest score of 55 at Headingley.
Virat Kohli needs to be careful about the deliveries on and around off-stump: VVS Laxman
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Adding further, VVS Laxman highlighted that Virat Kohli has to bring back the trigger movement which will allow him to leave the balls outside the off-stump.
“I think once he shuffles then his right leg will be on the middle stump and he will know where his off stump is and he is much more careful about balls on and around the off stump. Once he gets his eye in, we know Virat Kohli is someone who capitalizes on the loose deliveries,” he added.
The spotlight will be on struggling Virat Kohli as he leads his troops onto the field at the Kennington Oval with an aim to take an unassailable lead in the series.
