Space that you gave made me feel relaxed, I was earlier deviating from my game: Virat Kohli tells Rohit Sharma | Cricket News

DUBAI: Virat Kohli raves about skipper Rohit Sharma for the kind of ‘communication’ he has had with him which has helped him stay relaxed and get back to his ‘original pattern’ .
Kohli finally earned his 71st international cent in the inconsequential Super 4 Asia Cup final match against Afghanistan and BCCI.TV engaged the current and former captain in serious conversation and occasional banter after the game .
“We will learn from those Super 4 games (Pakistan and Sri Lanka) where we got it wrong. There was clear communication from management. The space you gave me made me feel relaxed So when I came back (after the break) I was excited about what I could bring to the team,” Kohli told his “interviewer” Rohit.

Return to its “old model”
There are many ways to skin a cat and Kohli told his skipper he realized he had to stick to his tried and true “pattern” where six hits weren’t always a priority.
“I’ve bet on good cricket hits and six hits isn’t a big strength for me. I can (hit six) if the situation calls for it, but I’m better at finding gaps and as long as I can reach many limits, it will always serve the purpose,” Kohli said.
In fact, he had spoken to Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour about his process.

“I told the coaches that I would find the gaps rather than try to hit big. It’s not always that in T20 cricket, to increase the strike rate, you just have to hit six. I went out that out of my system and I’m back with my model,” the batting master said.

“My role in the team is to take responsibility for the situation and increase the scoring rate. If I can take 10 to 15 balls to set up, then I can step up. I was moving away from my model and I was desperately trying to do things that aren’t in my game,” he admitted.
But in terms of technique and mindset, Kohli told Rohit he didn’t do anything out of the ordinary.

“You know me well. We’ve been playing together for so long. If we’re in good spirits and we keep being there, we’ll play. The dressing room is a scary place for both of us and now it’s It’s about carrying the right habits into the upcoming series.”
Dravid’s advice also helped
The Asian Cup for Kohli was aimed at adding dimensions to his batting, including his approach between overs 7-15, and he received practical advice from head coach Rahul Dravid.
“Rahul bhai talked to me while he was beating in the middle, how can I improve my strike rate when we are beating first. The focus was the things I need to improve to help the team, I should try in the Asian Cup,” he said.
The two seniors “fight” for KL Rahul at the top
While the hundred Kohli at the top started the debate on whether to open with Rohit, the two seniors agreed in unison that KL rahul is indispensable at the top and must be protected.
“We shouldn’t ignore KL’s shot because it’s important to be in a good headspace before the World Cup. We all know what he can do. He plays clean, solid shots and once he’s done it. ‘he’s playing well, our team looks stronger,’” Kohli said.