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For India Test team skipper Virat Kohli the year 2021 has not been a memorable one. The 33-year-old batter ended his second consecutive year without scoring a hundred in international cricket. Kohli was dismissed for 35 and 18 in the first and second innings, respectively, in India's 113-run win over South Africa in the First Centurion Test.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar recently talked about Kohli's poor form. Gavakar feels that there is nothing wrong with the captain's batting and “he is getting out on his first mistake.”
Nothing wrong with batting
"There's nothing wrong with his batting; it's just like he is getting out on his first mistake every single time. Yes, you can say he should have left some of those deliveries but every batsman makes mistakes. Most batsmen get the benefit as they miss the ball or their catch being dropped or going wide from the fielder, but in his (Kohli) case he hasn't got that luck," Gavaskar said during a television show.
"Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope that 2022 is where the luck starts going his way. Even here in both the innings, the way he batted every ball was in the middle of the bat but the first time he made a mistake, he was out," former India skipper added.
Speak to Sachin
Previously, Gavaskar had suggested that Kohli should speak to Sachin Tendulkar on how to curb his off side shots, to which he has been pretty exposed in recent times.
"It would be fantastic if he calls Sachin Tendulkar up to wish him a Happy New Year and during that talk just check with him how he curbed his off-side shots in the year 2003/04 against Australia. He was getting out caught in the covers and caught behind and then in that fourth Test in Sydney he decided he was not going to play in the covers. He was only going to play mid-off or straight and on the on-side. What did he end up with? 241 not out in the first innings and 60 not out in the second. Just maybe wish him a Happy New Year and pick his brains about how he did it, might help him as well," expressed Gavaskar.
The second Test match of the series is scheduled to start at Wanderers in Johannesburg on January 3 before the final Test in Cape Town.
Gavaskar also recalled that Tendulkar was getting caught in the covers or behind the wicket but in the Sydney Test, he decided to not play in the covers region. Sachin went on to score a double century later.
“He was getting out caught in the covers or caught behind, and then in that fourth Test match, he decided he’s not going to play in the covers. He was only playing maybe mid-off or straighter and on the on side; and what did he end up with? 241 not out in the first innings and 60-something not out (60*) in the second innings,”
“Just maybe wishing him happy new year and maybe just picking him brains, asking him how he did it, might help him as well,” Gavaskar added.
