Virat Kohli: SRT, Shastri helped me overcome 2014 England tour debacle

Virat Kohli after being dismissed for six during the fifth Test v England in 2014. Pic/ Getty Images

The lesson of "forward press against fast bowlers" from Sachin Tendulkar and a tip from head coach Ravi Shastri to stand outside the crease led to his transformation as a prolific Test batsman after a disastrous England tour in 2014, feels India captain Virat Kohli. Kohli had a nightmare of an England tour where he failed in 10 successive innings but came back later in the year against Australia scoring four tons in four games, including two in Adelaide.

In a chat with Mayank Agarwal for bcci.tv, the Indian skipper decoded his technical changes post that England tour. "The 2014 [tour] will be a milestone in my career. Lot of people take good tours as a milestone in their careers but for me 2014 will be a milestone," Kohli said. "I came back from England and spoke to Sachin Paaji. I had a few sessions with him in Mumbai. I told him that I am working on my hip position. He made me realise the importance of big stride, a forward press against fast bowlers," Kohli added.

He explained what went wrong in England and how he realised it. "My hip position was an issue during that England tour. It was basically not adjusting to the conditions and doing what I wanted to do. So being rigid doesn't take you anywhere. It was a long and painful realisation but I realised it," he said. England pacer James Anderson was taking him out mainly with outgoing deliveries. "I was too worried thinking about the ball that might come in. I was opening up a bit too early so the ball that was going away I was getting out to it every time. I just couldn't get past that confusion," he admitted.

However with the tweak in technique also came a tweak in his stance, which was suggested by Shastri [Team Director in 2014-15] just before the start of 2014-15 Australia tour and the rest is history. "He [Shastri] told me one thing, to stand outside the crease. He explained the mindset behind it. 'You should be in control of the space you are playing in and not giving opportunities to the bowler to get you out'," Kohli said.

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