Virat Kohli is going through the sort of lean patch he hasn't experienced since the 2014 tour of England where he failed to get a fifty in five Test matches. In the three ODIs and two Tests that the Indian captain played in New Zealand, he managed just one half-century – 51 in the first ODI. It has compounded Virat's worries at a time when his team has also suffered a drubbing.
But as some people have started to raise questions about Kohli's technique and his weaknesses, he has received the support of a former cricketer from an unexpected quarter. Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has strongly defended Kohli and criticised people for raising doubts over the Indian captain's technique.
Inzy's analysis
"There is a lot of criticism about Virat Kohli in India as he hasn't had a good score for quite some matches. Some people are talking about his technique. I am very surprised by this sort of talk about him. He is someone who has 70 centuries in international cricket. After he has scored 70 hundreds in international cricket, if someone talks about his technique, it's strange.
"Let me tell you something capital. Every player goes through a series or a period of time where, even if he is doing everything right, he is not able to get things done. Every player knows that. Kohli was bound to go through this phase. No player, ever, has scored runs in every match, series, or year," the legendary former Pakistani batsman said.
Questions over Kohli's method
Some years ago, it was believed that Kohli has a vulnerability when the ball is swinging and is on a fifth-stump line. But with the master batsman having scored runs all over the world, including England where he faced a torrid time in 2014, those weaknesses seemed to have been put to rest. However, his mode of dismissals in this series suggest that he may now have a weakness against deliveries coming in to him.
Inzamam further added in his analysis: "When a great player goes through a bad patch, and a great player is someone with a strong mindset, he doesn't care too much about the advice being offered to change your technique. A player like that also comes back into form in a big way. Virat will do the same.
"People used to earlier praise Kohli's ability to flick the ball through midwicket. Sometimes, a player goes through a phase where his strength also contributes to his dismissals. It's not a big deal. If I had to give Virat Kohli any advice, it would be that there is nothing to worry about. This kind of bad patch is not unusual. I wouldn't even talk about his technique."
When a person with so much experience and achievement under his belt like Inzamam says something like this, one has to pay serious attention to it. Yes, the tour of New Zealand has been disappointing. But few would bet against Kohli making a strong comeback. Inzamam's words may well come true.
