IPL 2022: 3 major problems with Virat Kohli's batting right now
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli is enduring one of the worst seasons of his Indian Premier League (IPL) career.
Kohli has amassed only 216 runs in 12 innings at an average of 19.64 and a strike rate of 111.34, with both metrics being his worst returns in a single IPL season since 2008. He has hit only one fifty and has cleared the boundary on only four occasions, with even a promotion to opener not arresting his slump. The fact that he has three first-ball ducks in IPL 2022 is a damning indictment of the rut he's in.
Kohli's problems appear to be technical and mental in almost equal measure. Here are three major issues with the former Indian skipper's batting right now.
#3 Virat Kohli has limited shots against spin
Kohli's limitations against spin in T20 cricket have been discussed on end for quite a while now. Not a confident exponent of the sweep shot, the 33-year-old has been unable to break the shackles against accurate spinners. He has often been stuck on the crease and reluctant to step out and play lofts, instead being content to rotate strike because he seemingly understands his own limitations.
There have been games where Kohli has tried to take the attack to the spinners, but it hasn't quite come off for him. It won't be easy to suddenly start playing the sweep on a regular basis, but how else can he get spinners to change their nagging lengths to him? The best players of spin in IPL 2022, such as Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav and David Warner, are all willing exponents of the sweep, and it's almost impossible to be a complete T20 batter without it.
Kohli's best bet might be to throw caution to the wind and widen his shot-making arsenal. But that's easier said than done, especially when he's going through such a bad patch.
#2 Virat Kohli has been uncertain against pace in the powerplay
Virat Kohli has sometimes had problems outside off-stump, but those issues have never been as pronounced in T20 cricket as they are right now.
In a format where the ball swings only for a few overs, the Delhi-born batter has been able to see off the early movement and capitalize on the field restrictions. This is evidenced by his record as an opener in T20s - an average of 42.22 and a strike rate of 136.1 over the course of 88 innings.
However, IPL 2022 has seen Kohli fall victim to dismissals that are more common in the longer versions of the game. Marco Jansen angled one across him and nicked him off, while Dushmantha Chameera had him caught in the circle owing to an uncertain prod. Prasidh Krishna rushed him with pace and bounce as well.
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#1 Concentration
It's impossible to deny that a large portion of Kohli's problems in the recent past have been mental. IPL 2022 has only vindicated that theory, with the former RCB skipper having been involved in four run-outs, with he himself falling victim to the mode of dismissal twice.
Moreover, innocuous deliveries have dismissed Kohli. He chipped a gentle leg-lined ball from Jagadeesha Suchith straight to short midwicket against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Chennai Super Kings left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary had him caught at deep backward square off a ball that he would've hit for six eight times out of 10.
Various cricket experts like Ravi Shastri have suggested that Kohli needs to take a break from the sport, but only he can decide what is best for him. One thing is for certain, though - RCB need their leading run-scorer to step up at the business end of the tournament.