“He got a little exposed” – Saba Karim on Virat Kohli’s dismissal in IND vs NZ 2024 3rd Test

Former Indian wicket-keeper bat Saba Karim feels that Virat Kohli got a little exposed after India suffered a 25-run loss against New Zealand in the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday. After Kohli was run out in the first innings, the right-hander could only manage a solitary run before he was caught at slip by Daryl Mitchell while facing Ajaz Patel.

The talisman could only manage 93 runs in three Test matches against the Kiwis at an average of 15.50. Thus, he failed to deliver the goods and his form is definitely a cause of concern for the team before the Australia tour.

“He was practicing this morning how to bat against left-arm spin. So the clarity was there in Virat Kohli’s mind when he went out to bat. He played too much inside the line. In the last three Test matches, he has tried to take the bat and not the pad in the left-arm spinner’s line. That positive intent is always there and he is always on the lookout for singles,” Saba Karim said on Colors Cineplex.

Karim feels Kohli’s footwork was correct but he made the mistake of playing too much within the line of the ball.

“Here also the footwork was correct but the ball to which he got out, I feel he played too much inside the line, and that’s why he couldn’t negotiate the ball when it turned. He got a little exposed. When he brought the bat, the ball got the time to turn and that’s why it got the outside edge,” the former India selector added.

The former Indian selector said the best way to play against the spin is to play the line but feels Kohli failed to do so.

“We keep saying that this is basic but it’s not that easy to implement it. If you haven’t practiced playing on such wickets, it takes time to develop the skill. On spinning tracks, the main mantra is that you have to take the bat in the line of the spinner’s ball. You cannot play for the spin,” he explained.

On the other hand, former Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel said Kohli allowed the ball to spin and it led to his downfall.

“The most important thing we saw in practice was that when you bat without pads, it’s in your mind that the ball would come and hit your legs. So you don’t take your leg in the line of the ball but away from it. Here also you will see that he has taken the leg away from the ball and given space for the ball to spin,” he explained.

“That’s why we say that you need to practice based on what’s going to happen in the match. There is no doubt that he defends with hard hands. It’s not only today, that’s from earlier. It’s actually a technical thing that when a left-arm spinner bowls and it spins, you have to bring your leg slightly inwards,” Patel observed.

Kohli will look to turn a corner on the upcoming Australia tour.