Virat Kohli training under Sachin Tendulkar to sort out his off-stump technique in Mumbai
Virat Kohli had a horrid time in England, managing just 134 runs in 5 matches at an average of 13.40. In ODIs too, he failed to reproduce his astonishing form, socring just 54 runs in 4 matches at 18.00.
Kohli was reguarly found out by the swinging ball, and often hung his bat outside the off-stump, only for the ball to catch its edge and land safely in the hands of the slip fielders. As the tour progressed, the sight only grew more common, much to the frustration of Indian fans and Kohli himself.
James Anderson feasted on this technical deficit and dismissed Kohli five times on the tour, four of them in Tests.
Back in India, Kohli is now undergoing intense batting practice at Mumbai Cricket Association’s state-of-the-art indoor training facility in Bandra-Kurla Complex under the guidance of the great Sachin Tendulkar.
“Virat was here for an intense session today. Sachin was present too. He is going to come in for practice over the next two-three days as well,” Lalchand Rajput, who is the batting coach at this special BCCI academy, told Hindustan Times.
Out of the seven pitches in the facility, three are designed for pace and spin each, while the seventh is a normal wicket. With cameras mounted on both ends of the pitches, the facility is designed for a detailed analysis of a batsman’s technique. It even boasts of a controlled environment where temperature and humidity, mirroring the playing conditions can be reproduced. The pitches, made of PVC material, too can be adjusted for enhancing the pace and bounce.
HT reported that Kohli batted on the fastest pitch at the academy, with Tendulkar guiding him from various positions on or near the pitch. The Indian legend handed detailed advice to the youngster, ranging from his stance to his footwear.
Rajput directed the U-23 pacers at the academy to bowl a strict off-stump line, trying to reproduce the conditions which Kohli failed to cope with in England.
“Since Virat had time, he felt he could come and just stay in touch. He worked on his off-stump game. We will have a better idea about how his form is in a couple of days, though international players don’t take time,” he told HT.
Kohli is not the only one dissecting his batting at the facility though, with India discard Yuvraj Singh too practicing against spinners there.