India’s batting coach backs Virat, says ‘He’s not going through lean patch’

Virat Kohli’s prolonged lean patch is not a concern for the Indian team, batting coach Vikram Rathour said on Monday, expressing confidence that the superstar batter would be back among runs in the upcoming T20I series against West Indies.

The 33-year-old, whose tenure as India captain across formats came to an end last month, had a disappointing run in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series with a total score of 26 runs at an average of 8.6 with a best of 18. Rathour said it does not mean lack of form as Kohli has been doing well in the nets.

“I don’t think he’s going through a lean phase. I understand he had a poor series against the West Indies (in ODIs) but no conversation as such,” Rathour said in a media interaction in the build-up to the three-match T20I series beginning at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

Across formats, Kohli is yet to score an international century in more than two years. His last century came against Bangladesh in India’s first pink ball Day/Night Test at Eden Gardens here in November 2019.

In ODIs, Kohli last scored a century against the West Indies in August 2019, in Port of Spain, and since then, he has had 10 50-plus scores but failed to convert them into a ton.

‘’He’s batting well in the nets and the kind of preparation he’s putting in. We are waiting for... I’m certain that in one of these innings he will be back among runs,’’ the batting coach said, strongly backing the former skipper. The series is seen as India’s preparation for the T20 World Cup slated in Australia in October and Rathour said he’s confident that the batters will put up a strong show Down Under. (Agencies)

Washington ruled out of T20I series

India All-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the T20I series against West Indies due to injury. Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav has been named as Washington’s replacement in India’s squad.

As a specialist bowler, Kuldeep isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Washington; the batting ability of seamers Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Harshal Patel, however, should still allow India to pick an XI without compromising on their batting depth.

India squad for T20I series: Rohit Sharma (capt), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav.