Vikrant Shekhawat : Jan 28, 2025, 07:00 AM
Ranji Trophy 2025: Indian cricket's shining star Virat Kohli has been struggling continuously in Test cricket for the last few years. His bat is not able to satisfy his hunger for runs. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where a big performance was expected from him, he scored 190 runs in 9 innings at an average of just 23.75. Kohli's performance in Test cricket has not been up to his level for the last 5 years. In such a situation, he is now playing in the Ranji Trophy to get back in form.Special practice under the supervision of BangarIn search of form, Kohli has taken refuge in his old guru and former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar. Under Bangar's coaching, Kohli performed brilliantly during 2014-2019. He scored 41 centuries during this period and maintained a Test average above 50. Under Bangar's guidance, Kohli practiced hard at his new holiday home in Mumbai.In this practice session held in Alibaug, Bangar gave Kohli throwdowns on a cement slab from a distance of 16 yards. Particular attention was paid to the back of length balls, as this area has been challenging for Kohli. Bangar made Kohli work on the technique of scoring runs in the square area, so that the range of his runs can be increased.Return to Ranji after 13 yearsVirat Kohli will play Ranji Trophy for his home team Delhi after 13 years. Kohli will take the field in the match against Railways from January 30 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Before this big match, Kohli finalized his preparations and is now fully ready to train with the team.Will the old 'King Kohli' be seen again?Kohli's Test performance has been continuously declining since 2019. In the 38 Test matches played since 2020, Kohli has scored only 2005 runs at an average of 31.32, including 3 centuries and 9 half-centuries. His performance in 2024 was limited to an average of 24.52.However, Kohli's recent practice and Bangar's coaching have given cricket fans hope that he will return to his old rhythm again. Seeing his hard work and focus, it would not be wrong to say that the same avatar of Kohli can be seen in the coming days, which earned him the title of 'King Kohli'.Apart from the Ranji Trophy, the Champions Trophy in February and the five-Test series against England in June will be a big opportunity for him to re-establish his reputation. Now it will be interesting to see how much impact Kohli's hard work and Bangar's coaching shows on his performance.
Virat Kohli in Alibaug during Practice Session ahead of Ranji match against Railways 🤩🔥 pic.twitter.com/LWMBrw9JUw
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