TOP STORIES
“Needs to settle his mind”: Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar advises Kohli ahead of Pakistan clash

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Indian batter Virat Kohli, who has been struggling to get into form, needs to settle his mind and not put too much pressure on himself by overthinking and practising much. Manjrekar’s remarks come just ahead of the Champions Trophy clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, scheduled to be played on Sunday in Dubai.
Of late, Kohli has not been able to fire on all cylinders, encountering difficulties against spinners. Ahead of the high-octane battle, Kohli spent long hours in the nets, practising against spinners. In India’s Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh, Kohli scored 22 runs, losing his wicket to Bangladesh spinner Rishad Hossain.
"When you (Kohli) are slightly out of form and runs, you think of practising too much and thinking too much... sometimes (you) just over do it. Just keep hitting the balls in the nets. It's more of mind thing (and) not (just) about (the) batting technique," Manjrekar said on as quoted by Times of India.
"He is going through a difficult time, and has (had) some technical issues... in the last match he lacked confidence but he is trying his best. He just needs to settle his mind a little bit without trying too hard, and go out there with a relaxed mind," he added.
Former Indian cricketer also remarked on Rishabh Pant's situation as India continue to stick with wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who has been incredibly good with bat.
"India were pretty good (against Bangladesh), most boxes got ticked. I don't see drastic changes if the pitch is doesn't demand. Kuldeep (Yadav) needs a little more game time. (KL) Rahul got some runs, so I don't think any new wicketkeeper-batter is going to replace him. Till Rahul is contributing, Pant will stay out but Pant is rare talent for India. It's a sorry situation for him," he added.
Tags
More News

England decide to bat first against India at Lord's
England won the toss and decided to bat against India in the crucial third Test match on Thursday at Lord’s. England, who have already announced their playing, will look for a turnaround following their 336-run defeat in the second game. Going into the third Test, they have been bolstered by the return of pacer Jofra Archer, who makes a c...

SL vs BAN 1st T20I: All you need to know, head to head, playing XI
After claiming a 2-1 series win in the preceding three-match ODI series, Sri Lanka are set to host Bangladesh in the first of the three T20Is on Thursday at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Sri Lanka, buoyed by the momentum, will be focused on carrying their marvellous ODI form into the T20I series. Bangladesh, on the other side, would hope to divert at...

“The most muddled”: England pacer shares his views on Australia’s top-order
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has taken aim at Australia’s top order, comprising Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas and Cameron Green, calling it the most 'muddled' he has come across in his life. Usman Khawaja has struggled to bring about the momentum while Green exhibited positive signs, knocking off a second-innings half-century against West Indies in Grenada...

Wanindu Hasaranga out of Bangladesh T20Is
Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh due to a hamstring injury. Hasaranga’s absence is a major setback for the side, as he played a key role in Sri Lanka’s resounding victory in the ODIs.
He was the highest wicket-taker in the ODIs, finishing up with ni...

“This team will play better”: Rishabh Pant ahead of India's third Test vs England
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has expressed confidence in his side's momentum heading into the third Test against England at Lord’s, following a dominant 336-run victory in the second Test. With the five-match Test series now level at 1-1, Pant believes India are well-poised to continue their charge, provided they stick to their plans and ma...