According to former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria, as India gears up to face Australia’s Mitchell Starc in the World Test Championship final, Virat Kohli needs to train against quality left-arm fast bowlers. Kohli has been dismissed multiple times by left-arm seamers’ inswingers, including the recent leg-before-wicket dismissal by Starc in the ODI series opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 17.
On his YouTube channel, the 42-year-old Danish Kaneria recommended that the Indian team management bring in experienced left-arm pacers like T Natarajan as net bowlers to assist Kohli in addressing his weaknesses. Kaneria emphasized the importance of Kohli’s ability to handle left-arm pacers, especially with the threat posed by Starc in the WTC final against Australia. He said:
“Virat Kohli isn’t comfortable against left-arm pacers when the ball nips back. He must practice facing Mitchell Starc in the World Test Championship final. The team management should bring left-arm pacers like T Natarajan as net bowlers.”
Danish Kaneria
In the first ODI against Australia, Kohli scored only four runs off nine balls before getting dismissed in the fifth over of India’s run-chase. Despite Danish Kaneria’s suggestion that Mitchell Starc could trouble Kohli in the WTC final, statistics indicate that Kohli has had the upper hand against Starc in most international cricket matches, with the recent ODI being the first time he got out to the Aussie pacer in this format.
Danish Kaneria believes dropping KL Rahul is not a solution.
Kaneria believes dropping KL Rahul due to his poor Test form would have been a mistake, and he praised Rahul’s composure and match-winning knock in the first ODI against England. Kaneria Said:
“KL Rahul has dealt a significant setback. He was dropped from the Test team, and he knows that he must deliver now and be very sensible. Dropping someone is never the solution. You need to fix the problems.
“He looked very composed today, and the Australian bowlers couldn’t hit his pads as he was getting behind the line of the ball.”
KL Rahul’s unbeaten 75 led India to victory in the first ODI against England. The second match is set to take place on Sunday at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.