"Reset": AB de Villiers advises Virat Kohli amid dip in form, urges him to avoid on-field battles (WATCH)
By Deepu Mohan | First Published Jan 6, 2025, 10:40 AM ISTVirat Kohli struggled in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, scoring 190 runs in 9 innings. AB de Villiers advised Kohli to "reset his mind" and refocus after every ball to regain form.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia was a challenging one for Indian cricketer Virat Kohli. Despite his reputation as one of the world's top batsmen, Kohli struggled to find a way against deliveries outside the off-stump, particularly those bowled by Scott Boland. His performance throughout the series was underwhelming, with a total of 190 runs in nine innings, averaging 23.75.
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Kohli's only century, an unbeaten 100, came in the first Test at Perth, but his form dipped significantly in subsequent matches. His scores were 7 and 11 in Adelaide, 3 in Brisbane, 36 and 5 in Melbourne, and 17 and 6 in Sydney.
South African cricket legend AB de Villiers, a friend and fellow cricketer, offered some advice to Kohli. De Villiers suggested that Kohli needs to "reset his mind" and move past individual on-field battles. He emphasized the importance of refocusing after every ball and avoiding excessive engagement.
"Virat loves the fight, but when you are not in the form of your life, it is best to get rid of those things," De Villiers said in a video posted on X. "As a batter, it is to reset every single ball and realize every ball is an event, and just forget about the bowler," he added.
De Villiers acknowledged Kohli's fighting spirit and desire to represent India with passion, but stressed that he needs to find a better balance between his competitive nature and his batting technique.
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— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17)"I think sometimes Virat forgets about that because of his fighting spirit and the nature of the man wanting to be involved and show the whole of India he is there to fight for them," he said, adding, "The skill, experience and greatness of the guy (Kohli) are not an issue. It’s sometimes about the refocus after every single ball. Maybe sometimes he gets involved too much."
Kohli's performance in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle has also been analyzed. He scored 751 runs in 14 matches at an average of 32.65, including two centuries and three fifties. However, his form since the start of 2020 has been a concern, with 2,028 runs in 39 matches at an average of 30.72, and only three centuries and nine fifties.
The 2024-25 Test season has been particularly difficult for Kohli, with only 382 runs in 10 matches, averaging 22.87 with a single century and a fifty.
After winning the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, India lost the series 3-1 as Australia reclaimed the trophy after 10 years.
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