"Serious technical issue he just can't find a solution to" - Sanjay Manjrekar's huge statement on Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 2 of pink-ball Test
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes that a serious technical issue has crept into Virat Kohli's game which the experienced cricketer can't find a solution to. Manjrekar remarked after the Indian batter was dismissed for 11 on Day 2 of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide on Saturday, December 7.
India are staring at defeat in the day-night Test after Australia completely dominated Day 2 of the contest. After posting 337 in response to India's first innings total of 180, the Aussies reduced the visitors to 128-5 by stumps on Day 2. Kohli was caught behind off Scott Boland, nicking a length ball outside off.
While analyzing the former India captain's dismissal, Manjrekar opined that the fact that he has looked uncomfortable at the crease despite scoring a century in Perth points to a major technical flaw in his batting. He told ESPNcricinfo:
"The technique that he has developed to counter that line outside the off stump, swinging ball, has not really made his life easier. When he got that hundred in the last game, I thought, let's find out whether just the dearth of runs is contributing to his mistakes that he is making."
"Now, with the monkey off the back, you expected Virat Kohli a lot more relaxed and looking in better shape. After getting a hundred [the fact] that he was troubled by the same line shows that he has got this serious technical issue that he just can't find a solution to," the 59-year-old added.
Kohli failed in the first innings as well in Adelaide. He was dismissed for seven, caught at slip off a short of a length delivery from Mitchell Starc.
"The man has got more than 9000 Test runs batting with the same technique" - Sunil Gavaskar backs Virat Kohli
While Manjrekar was critical of Kohli's technique following his twin failures in Perth, Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar defended him. Admitting that the 36-year-old has been dismissed similarly a couple of times in the ongoing series, he pointed out that Kohli has scored 9,000 Test runs with the same technique.
"That's what happened in Perth and again over here. I think it is also because of the high back lift. It is so that you can't bring it down in time and let the ball harmlessly pass. But the man has got more than 9000 Test runs batting with the same technique. He has got out twice, so what?," Gavaskar told JioCinema.
Meanwhile, at stumps on Day 2 in Adelaide, Rishabh Pant was batting on 28 and Nitish Kumar Reddy on 15. India still trail Australia by 29 runs.