Editorial: Virat, play on fear not failure

What if someone told you a few years ago that Virat Kohli would not score one ton in over 100 matches in all formats, that he would collect a sackful of golden ducks, an unwanted record, and would struggle for form? Your eyebrows would come together in shocked disbelief, wouldn’t they?

Unfortunately, this has happened. There could be multiple reasons or maybe there’s nothing to it—all great athletes go through purple and rough patches in their career, but his fans think he’s beyond that. The 33-yearold has shown many a time in his long career, especially in the 2014-15 season, that he can quickly turn things around. But that wait, for even his ardent fans, is getting longer.

Humans fail, don’t they? Does every batter who plays for India score a ton in every innings? No, certainly not! But you would argue that it’s almost three years since he has scored a century and that he has been given umpteen opportunities merely due to his reputation.

Cricket is not just a game here. Indians attach a lot of emotion to the sport. We make heroes in no time—sometimes over just one overwhelming innings—and sadly get nasty as well when the result doe not go our way.

Trolling and blaming his wife Anushka Sharma and their daughter Vamika for his poor form is sickening, to say the least. Whoever has been doing this should visit a rehabilitation centre, at the earliest.

The recent numbers of Virat are his worst for any IPL season. In his 12 innings this IPL, he has managed just 216 runs at a strike rate of only 111.3, with a flaccid halfcentury (58 off 53) knock and six single-digit scores, not to mention three golden ducks.

Pundits, who think they can advise better than he can bat, are asking him to take a break. And do what may I ask? A batter or any athlete will return to form only when they are out there performing. Not while resting at home or, worse, sitting in the dressing room. The more one plays, the more chances they have to regain form. If he takes a break now, brooding over his quagmire will drive him nuts. That would lead to more questions popping up. It is answers to the already stacked questions that he needs.

You may argue that players like Ben Strokes and Sachin Tendulkar took that all-important break, only to come with all guns blazing. But their primary reason for the break was a mental-health issue or injury-related one. Not to come out of a bad patch.

What’s worrisome in Virat’s recent performances is not any change in the batting technique, but the manner in which he’s been getting out. The position of his head is all over the place; the elbow angle wrongly tilted; bat face closing too soon; lack of synchronised feet movement; uneven weight balance; losing poise while playing the shot; stiff grip; and not watching the ball closely. Maybe the desperation for runs is causing these errors. The legend just needs to get back to the basics and hope for things to fall in place.

His tall stature has saved him so far. IPL teams don’t wait for too long. For instance, David Warner was serving drinks at the SRH camp last season due to poor form, and Ajinkya Rahane was dropped after he failed in two matches this season.

The world will not collapse should he be dropped. Virat, the run machine, can and should play domestic seasons (sadly not many do these days). And most importantly, play to regain his form, not rest.