Virat Kohli is a man known to wear his emotions on his sleeve. Frustration, dejection and resignation is what you get to see in one of the greatest exponents of the game across formats. He's hit a trough with the willow for a prolonged period now and his woes were compounded with another golden duck against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday night.
In eight matches thus far, the top-order batsman has scored 119 runs at an average of 17, his lowest point in the 12 editions of the competition. He's returned scores of 41 n.o., 12, 5, 48, 1, 12, 0, 0.
Backing Kohli to return to form soon, RCB's head coach Sanjay Bangar said, "He is somebody who has consistently performed for the team. Players go through these kinds of rough patches. He started the season really well, but then you have an odd run-out or the first edge that finds his bat lands in the fielder's hands."
Bangar, who addressed the media following RCB's nine-wicket loss against SRH, added, "We have all been through it, it is a tough phase for him, but he will come back stronger."
Bangar stressed on the fact that Kohli was doing everything he can to get out of the rut. "He is certainly doing everything that is in his control. He is doing his fitness and skills and taking good breaks and not letting the pressure get to him. He has been taking breaks at regular intervals and will continue to do so going forward," Bangar pointed out.
Bangar, a former India batting coach, asserted that Kohli wasn't losing sleep over the slump in form and believed a big knock is around the corner. "He's not letting the pressure get to him, he's enjoying the skill sessions. He needs a bit of luck to get going, all the dismissals and first ball, second balls but I'm sure once he gets going, he's due for a big one," Bangar said.
