(AP Photo)

With three individual scores below ten runs across three matches, Virat Kohli is experiencing an unusual dip in his performance. It’s premature to label it as a prolonged slump since it’s only the initial phase of the league. However, it’s evident that Team India’s strategy of having Kohli as the opener hasn’t yielded the desired results. Despite his exceptional performance in the IPL, where he secured the Orange Cap for the second time, things seem to have taken an unexpected turn.

Before the T20 World Cup, Kohli hadn’t opened for India in a T20I since early 2021. The playing conditions in the USA differ significantly from the pitches encountered in the IPL. While Kohli might regain his form eventually, it’s evident that the surfaces in the USA haven’t been conducive to his batting style. Looking back, the decision to pair him with captain Rohit Sharma at the opening might have been lacking foresight.

Despite India securing a spot in the Super Eights, Sunil Gavaskar shared his thoughts on Kohli’s recent series of low scores. Once a figure of contention among Kohli’s supporters, the former India captain now expresses assurance that Virat will soon regain his form and perform at his best.

“The biggest motivation for any player is to win matches, especially when you are playing for your country. He has done so well for India over the years and won so many games. I think he recognises that. We are in the early phases of the tournament. There’s Super 8s, semi-finals, and hopefully the final. All he needs to do is show patience and faith in himself, which I think he has plenty,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports after the match.

Sunil Gavaskar dismisses any concerns about Virat Kohli’s form. Kohli, possibly playing his final T20 World Cup, has only managed 5 runs from three innings so far. Against Ireland, he was dismissed for 1 while attempting a shot to third man. In the match against Pakistan, he started with a boundary but then mistimed a shot to point, accumulating only five runs across two matches. The most surprising dismissal occurred against the USA when he edged a wide delivery from Saurabh Netravalkar to the keeper, departing without scoring. While none of these dismissals were due to exceptional deliveries, it could be attributed to Kohli’s eagerness to make an impact. Nevertheless, Gavaskar remains optimistic, believing it’s just a matter of time before Kohli returns to his usual prolific form with the bat.

“When you get three low scores, it doesn’t mean he is not batting well. Sometimes you get good deliveries. Any other day, the ball would’ve gone wide or over the slip for a boundary, today it didn’t. So, there’s nothing to worry about. We have to show faith in him. Much believe that he is going to come good, sooner rather than later,” the Indian legend added.