New Delhi: Sanjay Bangar, who closely observed Virat Kohli’s rise to international cricketing stardom from 2014 to 2019, was called upon by the batsman for a dedicated net session as Kohli prepares for his Ranji Trophy return after over 12 years. With the BCCI requiring all centrally contracted players to participate in domestic cricket, Kohli, who has been facing a dip in form, is set to feature in Delhi’s final league match against Railways at the Kotla starting January 30.
Virat Kohli’s fellow national teammates, including captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja, all participated in the recent Ranji Trophy round, fulfilling their “SOP duty.”
Among these players, only Jadeja (12 wickets, 38 runs) and Gill (102 in the second innings) had notable performances.
Kohli, however, faced questions about his future after scoring just 190 runs from 9 innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The 36-year-old has been grappling with technical difficulties against deliveries on and outside the off-stump, leading to a recurring pattern of dismissals.
Veterans in the Indian cricket circuit highlight the close rapport Kohli shared with former batting coach Sanjay Bangar during their five-year tenure. From 2014 to 2019, Kohli scored most of his 80 international centuries, but since Bangar’s departure, he has only managed two Test hundreds in the past five years.
Bangar left the national team after the 2019 ODI World Cup, when Vikram Rathour was appointed as the new batting coach.
“When Kohli’s feedback was sought post 2019 World Cup, he had given a glowing certificate to Bangar, stating that as a batter, he had benefitted a lot from his technical inputs during all those years,” a senior BCCI official, who was then associated with the appointment of support staff, told PTI.
Virat Kohli’s strong trust in Bangar’s advice was clear when, after his time with the Indian team, he joined Royal Challengers Bangalore. In this franchise, Kohli’s opinions hold significant value, further highlighting their strong professional bond.
Focus on backfoot play:
Kohli was absent for the last round of the Ranji Trophy due to a “neck sprain,” and in an effort to regain his rhythm, he reached out to Bangar, who arranged a training session away from the city limits of Mumbai. The training facility, developed by the former India all-rounder and Railways captain, was designed to cater to Kohli’s needs.
During the session, Bangar provided Kohli with throwdowns from 16 yards, focusing on playing rising deliveries off the backfoot. A portable cement slab was placed at mid-pitch to simulate steeply rising deliveries, helping Kohli work on his backfoot technique and develop a greater range of shots square of the wicket.
Kohli, known for his front-foot play, has often favored the cover drive, leaving his backfoot game underdeveloped. The goal of this session was to ensure that even if the ball isn’t pitched up for easy drives, Kohli would still be able to rock back and execute square shots.
Historically, Kohli’s wagon wheel has shown fewer square cuts or square drives, which are key shots for batters when playing deliveries bowled back of length and outside the off-stump. Given Kohli’s mental toughness, adapting his game to include these shots should not pose a significant challenge.
DDCA expecting around 10,000 spectators:
The Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) has made provisions for at least 10,000 spectators to attend the match, with two stands being made available for the public.
As is customary, entry will be free, following the tradition for all home matches held in Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground over the years.
“There has never been any entry fee charged for watching Ranji matches and the same custom would follow. The only thing is that two stands will be opened for the fans as we understand the level of excitement associated with Virat’s participation,” a senior official said.
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