Always feel a player should be open to changes, asserts Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli plays a Nataraja Shot
|BCCI
Virat Kohli, in an Instagram Live Chat with Tamim Iqbal, has stated that a player should be open to changes and otherwise bowlers will figure out his plans and make the changes themselves. Kohli has further stated that he changed his stance in order to be more flexible and that worked like a charm.
After the England tour of 2014, which till date remains one of the worst series Virat Kohli has ever had alongside the 2020 tour of New Zealand, Kohli worked on his technique with Duncan Fletcher and emerged as a completely new batsman. He had an incredible series against Australia later that year, scoring 692 runs, and after that has been a journey of only highs and highs. In an Instagram Live chat with Tamim Iqbal, Kohli spoke about that change which has brought him a massive success.
"I changed because I wanted to score all over the ground. The static position was limiting my shot-making options. It works for many. Sachin Tendulkar for instance, he had no issues because of his superior technique and hand-eye coordination. I had to tweak it to suit my game. When someone first told me it could open up my options, I thought of giving it a try. Luckily, it clicked and I immediately started executing shots which I never thought I could,” Kohli told Tamim.
"I have seen many players who had such a mindset like 'No, I always play like this' but the opposition will figure it out after some time. So, you have to go ahead of your game. Coaches are telling you for your own good, for your own benefit, so the team gets benefited. So, if anyone says something in front of you then try and see what happens.
"I always feel you should be open to changes. You can't stagnate, you have to keep learning. If you keep playing in the same manner, the opposition will figure out your game. You have to be ahead of the game. So try it and drop it if it doesn't work, but any batsman should be open to positive changes," the Indian skipper added.
Considered by many as the best ODI batsman to have ever graced the game, the level of confidence that Kohli endures in a run-chase is massive for his own good. It remains as an education in itself for every budding cricketer in the world and Tamim, despite being equally experienced, decided to charter into Kohli’s mind and the Indian duly explained the mechanics of how to raise the confidence level.
"If you think that you want to try something in your game, then, of course, try that in your practice and more importantly try that in one or two matches. In a match pressure situation where you have a chance to get out, where the situation is not in control, you're also facing pressure from the opposition, you have to play a good innings, if you execute what you practised then it will raise your confidence levels. I believe that practice gives you an assurance that you're ready but the confidence gets higher after performing in a match."
