IND vs ENG LIVE: India vs England 1st ODI LIVE: Virat Kohli may still has the backing of the team management, including skipper Rohit Sharma, but time is running out quickly. He has lost 50+ average in Test and is close to losing that in T20s. ODI is the only format, he still rules and the IND vs ENG 1st ODI on Tuesday at Oval will give him the opportunity to hit the top gear. If he fails in ODIs too, he will not be far away from an axe from the Indian team. Follow IND vs ENG 1st ODI Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
His form has been such that it has reached the BCCI corridors too. Former players have also started to talk about Kohli’s run drought in the open. Some have even questioned as to why the selectors have not dropped him. With the T20 World Cup scheduled in just three months’ time, there is a serious need for Kohli to score runs. Be it any format, runs are runs. And Team India also needs King Kohli to be at his best.
IND vs ENG LIVE: OUT of FORM and struggling, ODI cricket Virat Kohli’s last REFUGE before a potential AXE: Check WHY?
He is such kind of a player, whose confidence rubs on other players too. However, with Kohli featuring in one of his loved formats, as his record suggests, it is a perfect time to get back to his menacing best at the Oval. In the ODIs, Kohli has amassed 12311 runs and 43 hundreds in his 260 matches.
IND vs ENG LIVE: Why ODI cricket is Virat Kohli’s last REFUGE?
- Virat Kohli’s Test average is currently at 49.53, in T20s, it has plummeted to 50.12 and is just one poor knock away from going below 50.
- In ODIs, Kohli still has a healthy average of 58.07.
- Despite Babar Azam’s resurgence, Virat Kohli is the real King of ODI cricket with 12,311 runs and 43 centuries in 260 games.
- While he hasn’t played the format often in the last two years, his game suits the format the best.
- In recent times, Kohli has struggled to hit full rhythm from the word-go, giving away his wickets more often than not.
- But in ODIs, he can still take his time to get his rhythm back and get a big score.
- The England bowling attack too isn’t world class at the moment with several first-team pacers missing.
- With Oval once again expected to be batting heaven, he will have the chance to regain his form before Team India enters the final stretch for T20 World Cup.
- In fact, two half-centuries in his last six ODI innings could be a hint at a bigger knock.
IND vs ENG LIVE: OUT of FORM and struggling, ODI cricket Virat Kohli’s last REFUGE before a potential AXE: Check WHY?
Captain Rohit Sharma has given full support to Virat Kohli.pic.twitter.com/hC16ylOYrb
— CRICKET VIDEOS🏏 (@Abdullah__Neaz) July 11, 2022
The problem for him has been 2022 primarily. He has not even come close to what he can bring at the middle.
His ODI performance in 2022
- 51 vs South Africa, January
- 0 vs South Africa, January
- 65 vs South Africa, January
- 8 vs West Indies, February
- 18 vs West Indies, February
- 0 vs West Indies, February
IND vs ENG LIVE: OUT of FORM and struggling, ODI cricket Virat Kohli’s last REFUGE before a potential AXE: Check WHY?
From the above, it is quite evident that the player has also struggled to open his account twice at the middle. That is quite strange for a player, who is regarded as one of the best ODI players of all-time as well. Even when he has got his eye as 2022 records suggest, the player has lost his wicket before converting it into a three-digit score. Usually, when on song, Virat Kohli has made it a knack of converting his half-centuries into tons.
Why does first ODI lend hope?
The player can give himself some time at the middle against quality bowlers. He may be rushed into playing his shots in the shorter format, but the player loves building his innings. That is what exactly the ODI format provides to Kohli.
IND vs ENG LIVE: OUT of FORM and struggling, ODI cricket Virat Kohli’s last REFUGE before a potential AXE: Check WHY?
He can see off the first few balls, see how the pitch is behaving without playing many risky shots. If he comes in the middle overs, that would be a perfect opportunity. He is very good at rotating the strike. That ways, he can spend some time at the crease and after getting his eye in, he can change gears smoothly.
Having said that, it is all about the first 20 balls or so, where he does not look his self. Somehow, he needs to get past the initial stage and runs could flow.
India’s squad for 3 ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, J Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohd Shami, Mohd Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
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