‘It's a very important shot’: Ravi Shastri wants Virat Kohli ‘to bring out the sweep’

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri recently talked about Kohli’s batting and according to him the former Indian skipper “has to bring out the sweep.”

Shastri's suggestion

"The thing I liked most about Virat was his fluency (41 not out off 29 balls against Punjab Kings)," Shastri told ESPNcricinfo.

"He was prepared to use his feet against the spinners. Now he has to bring out the sweep. It's a very important shot. He doesn't play it much, but he should, with freedom.

“The four days you get in the nets [between matches], he should get rid of Raghu [D Raghavendra, the throwdown specialist], and the fast bowlers - he has played them a lot in the last one-and-a-half to two years. Get a spinner and keep playing the sweep. Because if he uses his feet and starts to play the sweep, any spinner will think twice, thrice about what to bowl,” Shastri further added.

Analysis and technicalities

While talking about the sweep, Shastri explained the technicalities of the shot and according to him “it's important to get the position of the feet right."

"There is a process - how much back lift should be there, how to use the pace of the ball, what the position of the feet should be if you want to hit it along the ground… it's important to practice it, and it's important to get the position of the feet right.

"If he uses his feet, the bowlers will start thinking, then he can play it. Maybe the sweep in front of square will be tricky, but the paddle sweep or the reverse paddle sweep can be played. Because both of them bowl quick, so he should use their pace,” the 59-year-old former cricketer explained.

RCB had to suffer a five-wicket defeat against PBKS. The Faf du Plessis-led side will now be determined to bounce back in the ongoing IPL and secure their first victory of the current season against KKR.