Virat Kohli - An open and fit matter

Virat Kohli - An open and fit matter

After the T20 match against England in 2021, the then-Indian captain Virat Kohli openly speculated that he would play Rohit Sharma in the Twenty20 World Cup. The plan never came to fruition and Kohli ended up at No.3. Three years later, and with the captain's armband being passed from Kohli to Rohit, perhaps it is time to revisit the 2021 World Cup project. If there is one thing that the last season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) did not provide, it is surely the most appropriate call from the leadership combination of Rohit-Rahul Dravid.

Many pundits noted this during the recent IPL, but Sanjay Manjrikar, who has perfected the art of explaining the most complex points in a straightforward and uncomplicated manner, may have taken the matter best. The former India batsman and TV pundit told Crackbuzz, "If he is selected, he will have to open up. No other number will be his best." The only person who probably explained it better and more comprehensively was Rohit himself. At a recent media conference for India's World Cup squad, when asked about Kohli's innings in T20s, he only gave a dismissive smile.

As an explorer, Kohli has broken new boundaries and is expanding horizons. They were able to use the draft effectively, which was rare in the past. Add his power shots, cover drives and cuts to his repertoire and he becomes quite effective. By the end of the powerplay innings, he would have crossed the five-six mark and batted higher up the order. Batting at No. 3, he will need a start when the fielders are spread out.

Virat Kohli at the end of the IPL 2024 Powerplay

22* (15) vs CSK, 30* (19) vs RR, 4* (6) vs CSK, 32* (18) vs SRH, 35* (21) vs PBKS, 28* (18) vs KKR, 28* (12) vs GT, 22* (14 ) vs PBKS,  22 (16) vs LSG, 32* (25) vs RR, 3 (9) vs MI, 42* (19 ) ) ) ) vs SRH, 18 (7) vs KKR,  28* (19) vs GT, , 4* (5) vs DC

He has scored 373 runs in 231 balls at an average of 93.25 with an impressive strike rate of 161.47 in this IPL, including 36 fours and 21 sixes. Of note is the frequency of over 160, a significant improvement over last season. He had a strike rate of 136.81 in 14 innings (301 runs) last year and a total of 118.63 (2426 runs in 178 innings) in the first six overs from the first edition to 2023.

The technique behind his punches

High strike numbers just didn't come and Kohli worked hard. There are a few things involved in this process and they are the width of the backswing and creating space for the club to reach the ball by moving the leg off the line. The swing that AB de Villiers used best is the distance between body and hand position and action. "It allows you to create a wider area from which you can take the ball to hit more places," explains the Mumbai-based cricket expert, who cannot be named because he has no business. And because of his association with the IPL franchise, the threat of power in the new, loaded, high Kohli's growing repertoire.

He also had a batting pattern - if the ball fell outside the off-stump and was full, he could potentially hit it straight over long-on (due to backlift and back of leg). If it's a little short, it can beat the tall one. He lifts it just above the ball for full balls or even wide runners to put something on the stumps. If the ball falls on the middle stump, he can approach midwicket for fuller balls and eventually pull towards the square leg for shorter balls. "He constantly makes sure there's width in the backswing and he opens up your front leg," explains the Mumbai School of Batting coach on his powerplay bat.

The problem with Kohli, of course, is when the ball lands on the leg stump. You now need to open your front foot more to get to the ball. Only by going at the right angle can you make a good connection that midwicket, but more squarely. If you do that "However, if you don't open the bottom enough, you won't get a full bat and will likely have to pull it down the bat to mid-wicket/square leg. It is." Some IPL teams adopted a plan to limit his access to this shot.

Kohli does what is required - swings backwards, opens the front foot and uses the underhand to give an even better effect when playing this stroke sweep. But it remains to be seen how the US and Caribbean venues will fare and whether Kohli can execute his plans there. But he is still better equipped to execute plans than any other puzzle.

Who makes the plaque for Kohli?

If Kohli were to open, a tough question: Who is the right man to partner with him and should Yashvi Jaiswal make way for Kohli's XI? "Ideally I wouldn't have gone that route. I would have stuck with a slightly smaller cover. But the selectors trusted icons Rohit and Virat Kohli. Now that he is in the team, it is not possible for Virat. If you use Hona at No. 3, you don't get the full value of Virat and Rohit also has to open up. It has not worked for many years, let's hope it will work this time,” explained Manjrikar in a recent discussion.

But there is a school of thought that could drop Rohit to No.3. "If Rohit and Virat open, the left-arm spinners will come in immediately and you have to fight against that. Without a left-arm batsman, you understand what Virat brings as an opener and the strike. His recent improvement in rate plays with his “need for added risk in T20 cricket. The combination of hands is very important, especially when the ball is moving or spinning," former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan told Star Sports in a discussion.

Team India's outlook at the top of the order could open up over the next couple of days. India play Bangladesh in a warm-up match on Saturday, but will Kohli, who only retired in New York on Friday, be ready to take the field? Or it could be fine in the first game against Ireland on June 5.