NEW YORK: Indian cricket fans got almost everything they wanted from the New York leg of the World Cup. At the makeshift Nassau County Ground, which will be dismantled soon, the Men in Blue played three games, each offering a unique flavor.
While the match against Ireland was a straightforward victory, the encounter with Pakistan had all the highs and lows expected from a top-tier clash. The game against the USA, meanwhile, was a battle of attrition, with India triumphing after enduring some difficult phases.
Amid all this, one note struck off-tune: the form of Virat Kohli. The thousands who filled the stands on all three days had one common wish – a meaningful contribution from their favorite superstar. However, Kohli’s scores of 1, 4, and 0 in three consecutive games are rare for the modern master, especially considering his magnificent knocks in the IPL leading up to the World Cup.
Captain Rohit Sharma had been categorical about Kohli’s spot as an opener being “fixed,” while other slots would adjust “as per the situation.” Yet, in the three games, Kohli seemed unsure of his off-stump, a problem that plagued him notably during India’s 2014 tour of England, where he aggregated just 137 runs from four Tests. While that is ancient history, and Kohli had since turned his game around, the conditions in New York presented a unique challenge with the ball dominating the bat.
Kohli joined the team a little late, missing the practice match against Bangladesh and entering the tournament slightly undercooked. Despite putting in extensive effort in the nets, his form hasn’t translated into performances in the World Cup so far. With a serious rain threat in Miami, the venue for India’s final league game against Canada, there is a concern that practice sessions might get washed out, leaving Kohli little time to work on his batting before the Super 8s.
The team, however, has strong faith in their No. 1 batter. Shivam Dube, who also faced a rough patch, said, “Who am I to talk about Kohli? If he hasn’t got runs in three games, he may well get three hundreds in the next three, and there will be no more discussions.”
Rohit has the option of bringing in Yashasvi Jaiswal as his opening partner and dropping Kohli to his regular No. 3 spot. However, the captain believes Kohli is best suited at the top and that moving him down would disrupt the team’s balance, particularly their strategy of including four all-rounders.
It’s the team’s unwavering belief in Kohli that has stopped them from making any drastic changes. Now, it’s up to the batting great to turn the switch back on and remind everyone why ‘class is permanent.’
