Virat Kohli has his “power play” back and things are starting to fall into place for him for the T20 World Cup, says former India Test cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar. Kohli had gone through a lean period for nearly three years before deciding to take a month-long mental health break while reinventing himself at last month’s Asian Cup. He finished as India’s top goer and has continued his fine form ever since in the just-concluded T20Is against Australia, where his half-century in the series decider caught a glimpse of vintage Kohli fans have longed for.
“Look, every game he got from the Asian Cup, not just the runs, there was some improvement. I think the power game is back, he relies on his power game. There was a time when he got runs, but his power play didn’t come. That’s starting to happen,” Manjrekar said on Sports 18.
Being able to hit good balls for boundaries is a welcome sign, Manjrekar said.
“He sends good balls for big limits and sixes. It’s all about confidence. This is a guy who is damn confident and pushing himself to excellence, but long runs didn’t come and his confidence was tender,” he said.
Kohli was the second highest scorer in the Asian Cup, scoring 276 in five innings with an average of 92.00, a strike rate of 147.59 with two half-centuries and a ton.
“During the Asian Cup, things started happening slowly and steadily, the pull shots started coming in and the sixes started going up into the stands more than just going over the rope like it went in the IPL. So the pieces fell back to frame the perfect picture. Now it’s all about putting all these kind of performances in the main event,” said Manjrekar.
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In the next three-game T20 series against Australia at home, which India won 2-1, Kohli scored a total of 76 runs from three innings at an average of 25.33, with 63 being his highest individual score.
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