IND vs AUS: Virat Kohli’s Test Cricket Challenges and Ricky Ponting’s Perspective
Ricky Ponting commented on Virat Kohli's struggles in Test cricket, saying the batter is trying too hard, which is making his batting more difficult. Ponting suggested that Kohli's intense effort might be working against him and taking a more relaxed approach could help him return to his best form in the longest format.
Virat Kohli has been facing a tough time in Test cricket recently. He struggled throughout the home season and in the five-match Test series against Australia in their home conditions. These ongoing struggles have also raised questions about his spot in the team, as his performance has not met expectations in the longest format of the game.
Ricky Ponting said Virat Kohli’s struggles may worsen if he tries too hard. Sharing his own experience, Ponting explained that during his bad form, he focused more on avoiding dismissal than scoring runs. He added that when he was at his best, he didn’t overthink or worry about such things. He said:
The challenge is, and I can see it with Virat now, you can see how much he wants it. He’s trying so hard that it actually makes batting harder. The harder you try sometimes with batting, the less success you’re to have. I started thinking more about not getting out rather than scoring runs. And that might sound strange, but that’s what it was. I was trying to be so perfect, set the right example, and play exactly the way my team needed me all the time. But when I was playing my best, I didn’t think about any of that. I just walked out and thought about scoring runs.
Spin troubled Virat Kohli in home Tests, while deliveries outside off stump caused his downfall in Australia. After struggling at home, he began the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 strongly with a brilliant century in Perth, but his performance declined after that, making it a disappointing tour for him overall.
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