Sri Lanka bowlers give Kohli food for thought

COLOMBO: International cricket exposes weaknesses of even the finest of batsmen. It could be at the start of their careers, or chinks could emerge after they are well on the ascendency. In these days of video analysts, who pick even the slightest of flaws, it is a big challenge despite cricket increasingly being seen as a batsman’s game.

Sachin Tendulkar had issues against left-arm spinners and during a tough phase in his career. On the 2003/4 tour of Australia, he avoided the temptation of playing through cover as it was resulting in his dismissal, and went on to score a patient 241 not out in Sydney.

It is all about being able to curb the urge to play the signature shot and counter the opposing bowlers’ plans. Virat Kohli, after a subdued debut on the 2011 West Indies tour, has gone from strength to strength.

He gets plenty of runs driving through the cover region, however, playing away from his body has led to his downfall quite often. It is a shot which fetches plenty of runs, especially in one-day cricket, but he has been repeatedly beaten.

On the England tour last year, he repeatedly fell edging to the slip cordon. Kohli struggled against swing and seam, caught in the slip cordon or by the keeper seven times, all but once against pace.

Kohli recovered in great style in Australia by smashing four centuries, but he has not been able to shake off the problem outside off in Sri Lanka. In the third Test, he was dismissed in both the innings pushing at deliveries that seamed away.

He is the best batsman in the side but the similar mode of dismissal can also play on his mind.

The India skipper was asked about his tendency to push at deliveries outside off- stump before the first Test in Galle. He joked: “Jabbing at the ball has nothing to do with captaincy. Or chasing the ball outside offstump, I don’t like to relate the two. I see my batting as exactly the same when I was not captain.” He had said captaincy responsibilities had helped not to think too much about his batting.

“Maybe, that’s the reason when I am captain I am able to play with a different sort of attitude on the field because I am not really thinking too much or stressing about my batting.”

With India hosting South Africa next, the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel will be unrelenting in the corridor of uncertainty.

Jabbing at the ball has nothing to do with captaincy. Or chasing the ball outside off-stump, I don’t like to relate the two.

VIRAT KOHLI, India skipper on weakness outside the off-stump