‘Waited for the ball come to him’ – Former India coach highlights minor change in Virat Kohli’s batting after century vs Pakistan

Former Indian coach Sanjay Bangar has pointed out the small change in Virat Kohli’s batting technique. The 36-year-old scored his 51st ODI century for India in the key Champions Trophy 2025 match versus Pakistan last Sunday in Dubai. Bangar was in conversation with Times of India recently when he made these observations. 

Sanjay Bangar said “Kohli waited for the ball to come to him. He really wasn't on the front foot all the time. He was willing to cover the infield as well. Against spin, what was good to see in the first half of his innings was that he was playing a lot off the back foot. Then once he got that confidence, he started coming forward. So, starting off the back foot and then gradually going on to the front foot was the plan," 

India’s former skipper had a personal net session with Bangar recently to iron out his flaws. The 53-year-old had served as India’s batting coach for a few years and earned rave reviews and great feedback for his technical acumen. Kohli will play for India in the final group match against New Zealand this coming Sunday. 

Sanjay Bangar reveals changes made by Kohli after Australian tour 

During his chat with Times of India, former batting coach Bangar said that Kohli had sought to make changes after the Australian tour. The 36-year-old had been caught nicking behind for majority of his dismissals on the tour. Although Kohli had scored a ton in Perth, his form went awry after that. 

“When Kohli was in form, his bat used to come from the second or third slip area, allowing him to play more controlled shots. He is a guy who leaves no stone unturned as far as preparation is concerned. He knew that he had to step up after the Australia tour. He brought that intensity to his game, and one could see it in his body language," said Sanjay Bangar

The veteran former India coach ended by saying “What he did well was to watch the ball till the end, till it made contact with his bat. That's something we discussed - to watch the ball like a hawk and give more than 100% to each delivery. He is hungry for runs and going by the innings he played against Pakistan, he can easily play for another 3-4 years in international cricket”