Virat Kohli is struggling for runs in Sri Lanka.
Colombo: India’s two best batters have enjoyed contrasting individual fortunes in the Emerald Isles, one cementing his standing as among the other most destructive openers in world cricket and the other doing little to augment his reputation as the premier chase master in the limited-overs game.
In their first respective outings since the T20 World Cup title was secured in Bridgetown more than five weeks back, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have traversed the opposite ends of the run-making spectrum. India’s captain has been in rip-roaring form, tearing Sri Lanka’s bowling to shreds and establishing the base for his predecessor to build on. Kohli, by contrast, has batted from fading, unresponsive memory, struggling to come to terms with challenging conditions which have thrown him off kilter in the past.
Rohit must have believed that 58 off 47, and an opening stand with Shubman Gill of 75 (76b), would have been the perfect platform for Kohli to do Kohli things in Friday’s first One-Day International, when India’s target was 231. That wasn’t to be; Kohli pottered around for 32 deliveries, a third of his 24 runs coming through back-to-back boundaries after his first 25 balls hadn’t yielded a four. If India eventually scrambled to a tie, it was thanks to Shivam Dube at No. 8, two sixes towards the end helping India level the scores though victory was a step too far.
On Sunday, the skipper tilted the balance even more decisively towards his side with a furious onslaught that netted him 64 off just 44. In the best batting phase of the innings, he took calculated risks, hitting through the line and over the top when the ball was at its hardest. When he fell to the reverse sweep, India were 97 off 81, needing a further 144 off 219 balls with nine wickets in hand. How did they collapse to 208 all out?
Kohli’s contribution in the second encounter was 14 off 19. There were two glorious fours, both off the back foot; he was adjudged leg before to Akila Dananjaya playing back, only for even the batter to be surprised when Snicko registered an edge. His luck ran out when he hopefully poked forward to six-star Jeffrey Vandersay and perished leg before. For the second time in as many outings, a leggie had had his number, trapped in front. On Friday, Kohli challenged the call against Wanindu Hasaranga and blew one of India’s two reviews; on Sunday, Axar Patel had the good sense to tell his former captain not to waste a review.
Where Rohit has been all fire and brimstone, Kohli has looked subdued. Perhaps recalling his travails of the past in such conditions – maybe he should instead think of the happy times that include four successive centuries at the R Premadasa Stadium – he has been uncharacteristically indecisive and tentative. With the series on the line on Wednesday, he would do well to invoke the dominant avatar of not too long back if India aren’t to eat humble pie in Gautam Gambhir’s first ODI assignment as the head coach.