Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour has expressed his disappointment over Virat Kohli’s struggles in the ongoing T20 World Cup, but also believes that it’s good for the players to be challenged at times. Despite Kohli’s poor form, India has had a fantastic campaign, with the team winning all three of their group-stage matches and beating Afghanistan by 47 runs in their first Super 8 match.
Rathour, who was speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of India’s second Super 8 clash against Bangladesh on Saturday, conceded that he’s not happy with Kohli’s performance, but also emphasized the importance of being challenged. “I’m not happy. I would love it if he gets going and scores more runs. But yeah, it is good when you are challenged at times,” he said. Rathour also pointed out that the players who have not been getting too much batting time in India have risen to the occasion in the T20 World Cup.
While Kohli’s struggle to score runs has been a major concern, Rathour has been pleased with the team’s overall performance. He praised the depth of the squad, which has been evident in the way different players have chipped in with crucial runs and wickets. The team’s batting coach also hailed Axar Patel, who has been a key member of the squad, for his all-round prowess. “It feels like somebody like Axar playing at eight gives you a lot of confidence because he can bat and he’s bowling really well at the moment. So, it does give you a lot of options,” Rathour said.
Virat Kohli (Via Virat Kohli/Twitter)
India’s next challenge is against Bangladesh on Saturday, a team that has a reputation for being tricky to beat in the shortest format. Rathour acknowledged that Bangladesh has a good unit, with a lot of spin options that can trouble Indian batsmen. “They’re a good unit. They have a lot of guys who can spin the ball and they are good in certain conditions,” he said. However, the batting coach was confident that India will not take Bangladesh lightly, knowing that every team in T20 cricket is a tough opponent.
Rathour also expressed his relief that the pitches in the West Indies are expected to be easier to bat on compared to the conditions in New York, where India played their first three matches in the group stage. “We already played in the worst possible conditions in New York. So, anything after that is feeling good only. So, I am expecting wickets to be better (here),” he said. With India looking to continue their winning streak, Rathour will be hoping that the team’s batsmen, including Kohli, can come good against a talented Bangladesh team.
