The Indian cricket team is currently gearing up for the much-awaited World Test Championship final against New Zealand and the Indian skipper, Virat Kohli is expected to play a huge role in the mega-event.
The Indian skipper, Virat Kohli is hailed as one of the best batsmen in the world. Even though the cricketer hasn’t been able to get a hundred in over a year, but his fans believe that the Indian skipper can achieve the mark in the World Test Championship in Southampton.
However, Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma feels that one major hurdle for Kohli has to be New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee who has a great record against the India captain. In the recent interview with India News, Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma admitted that Virat struggling against Tim Southee is a point of concern for the Indian skipper.
Rajkumar also explained why Virat has been struggling to bat against Time Southee. He said:
“It is not that Virat Kohli doesn’t know where he has made a mistake but despite that Southee has dismissed him ten times, so it is definitely a point of concern and I feel Virat will work on this and leave more balls outside the off-stump,”
He added:
“The nagging length which Southee bowls, you need to decide if you have to play or leave the ball. He is bowling very well and his ball is swinging nicely. He becomes unplayable if it is even a slightly helpful wicket,”
Further, in the interview, Rajkumar admitted that Virat struggles against Tim Paine and it is not new as the Indian run-machine has failed to gain any success against the pacer ever since the under-19 days. Rajkumar Sharma further advised Kohli to fight with his urge of playing the cover drive against Tim Southee in order to protect his wicket. He said:
“This contest has been going on for a long time, from the Under-19 days when they were playing together, Southee for New Zealand and Kohli for India. So, somewhere or the other, Southee has been seen bowling with a very good strategy against Virat.”
He added:
“Because of that only he has dismissed him ten times. The cover drive is Virat’s favorite shot. So Virat will have to think about showing restraint while playing the cover drive because he has got out in the slips quite a few times while playing that shot,”
