Batting juggernaut Virat Kohli hasn't really clicked with the bat in the ongoing T20 World Cup so far. India's batting maestro has struggled to notch the double digit score after having a stellar show with the bat in the recently-concluded IPL 2024. Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar has come to his defense, though. Bangar says Kohli's low scores shouldn't be a worry. He believes this might be a temporary dip in form before Kohli explodes with a big score. Kohli has only managed 5 runs in India's first three matches. Despite Kohli's struggles, India has advanced to the Super 8 stage of the tournament. This is thanks to strong performances from other players like Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya. While Kohli hasn't been at his best, many still expect him to deliver when it matters most in the upcoming matches.
"He has never opened for India in a T20 World Cup. It's clear that it's a slightly new position and considering the conditions that were there, your first mistake was your last mistake. The batters don't get a second chance here and it has been a challenge for the top-order batters," Bangar said while speaking on Star Sports.
"When it's a match between two evenly matched teams, the opening batters have struggled a little for sure. I don't think there is any cause for worry. It could be a lull before the storm," Bangar added.
In their opening matches of the tournament, Virat Kohli's batting wasn't at its usual level. He managed just one run against Ireland and four runs against Pakistan. Things went from bad to worse in the third match against the United States. Kohli was dismissed for a golden duck, caught behind the wicket off the bowling of Saurabh Netravalkar.
"I don't think they should do that (change batting order) at this stage when they have taken a decision. I feel they might have taken the decision slightly late that they would use Virat Kohli as an opener. Now that they have decided, they won't go back and move away from that," Bangar said.
Virat Kohli's next chance to shine with the bat comes on Thursday. India's first match in the Super 8 stage of the World Cup is against Afghanistan, and the clash will take place in Barbados.
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