Questions Arise Over Virat Kohli's Preparation In Sri Lanka Series

Former Pakistan player Basit Ali has questioned Virat Kohli's preparations amid his struggles in the Sri Lanka series.

Virat Kohli has been experiencing a rough patch for a while. He had a poor run during the T20 World Cup but played a brilliant knock in the final.

Basit Ali, a former Pakistan cricketer, expressed his surprise at Kohli's difficulties and commented on his inability to handle spin bowling in the series.

"A great batsman like Virat Kohli, the world's number one batsman, has been out LBW twice. It's understandable if it happens to Iyer or Dube, but Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli. This means that he is not in practice," Basit said on his YouTube Channel.

Kohli's dismissals in both matches were via LBW, first to Wanindu Hasaranga and then to Jeffrey Vandersay. These dismissals have raised questions about his preparation and form against spin bowling.

After retiring from T20Is post India's victorious T20 World Cup campaign, Kohli returned to the Indian team for the Sri Lanka series under new head coach Gautam Gambhir. However, his performances in the first two matches have been underwhelming, with scores of 24 and 14 on spin-friendly tracks.

The former Pakistani cricketer didn't hold back in his criticism of Shreyas Iyer either, suggesting it might be time for changes in the playing lineup.

Concerns About Other Players

"It did not seem that this is the batting lineup which rules the world. I feel that Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul probably haven't even practiced. These people have come without practice," he added.

"I don't understand what is Shreyas Iyer going to do with such performances. I think the time has come for Rishabh Pant, Riyan Parag, and Rinku Singh," he concluded.

India's Current Standing

India is currently trailing 1-0 in the Sri Lanka series and will be desperate to restore parity in the final ODI match on Wednesday (August 7) in Colombo.