Virat Kohli looks to master the sweep

[Virat_Fangirl]

Virat Kohli looks to master the sweep Arani Basu,TNN | Jul 31, 2015, 09.10 AM IST The first glimpse of Virat attempting to sweep came against Australia's Nathan Lyon in the Test series before the World Cup. (TOI Photo) NEW DELHI: It took almost six years for the first glitch in Virat Kohli's batting to show up when James Anderson ruffled him with the moving ball outside the off-stump about a year ago in England. When the fired-up Delhi boy went Down Under last winter, he put most of those doubts to rest. The ardent India fan would like to believe that was the only chink in his impressive armour. But the Indian Test captain chooses to think otherwise. The sweep shot - seemingly a modern-day batting necessity - wasn't needed by Virat till now. Now, faced with the challenge of a deluge of spinning deliveries on the slower pitches in the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka, Virat wants to add that extra option to his batting armory. The first glimpse of Virat attempting to sweep came against Australia's Nathan Lyon in the Test series before the World Cup. Towards the end of the recent month-long break, Virat went back to his childhood coach in West Delhi to brush up his game and work on the sweep shot. "His batting is technically very clean but he never played the sweep shot," Rajkumar Sharma told TOI, "But now he is making a conscious effort to sweep and he feels he needs to master that as it will help him dominate the spinners even better." The coach added that Kohli was working hard to develop the stroke. "He came here to practice for a few days and asked for dry and rough pitches. He batted for nearly two hours every day against spinners and practised the sweep." But then came the disclaimer. "He hasn't developed it completely. He will be very cautious playing the shot, if at all he decides to play it," said Sharma. In his last international innings, Virat lost his stumps after losing his shape when trying to sweep Bangladesh left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hassan out of the attack. Even in the World Cup, he fell against Zimbabwe after failing to execute the sweep. For all his imposing play against the slow bowlers, Virat has often fallen to them due to indecisive strokes over the last year, starting with Moeen Ali in England. Preparations aside, Virat's string of mediocre scores after his hundred in the first match of the World Cup against Pakistan could indicate a wobbling form. On Wednesday, he fell cheaply in the first innings against Australia 'A' in Chennai. But his coach feels otherwise. "He is in good touch. It's unfortunate that he got out cheaply." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/india-in-sri-lanka/top-stories/Virat-Kohli-looks-to-master-the-sweep/articleshow/48290792.cms

[tweaker]

Virat Kohli has that attitude,that he will not give up easily.It speak volume of him that he choose to play for India A against Australlia A.It was expected of Rohit Sharma also,but he choose to rest inspite of his failure in test.

[BlueBee]

I'm not really fond of the sweep shot but it's rewarding and nowadays all the batsmen should have it.

[tweaker]

Good players of spin does not need to sweep,our players are not not confident of playing sweep

[Anitha]

Good, he does have very limited shots. Sachin started like this but kept adding more shots to his repository like the uppar cut, the behind sweep when required.

[adi B]

Guess anushka is making him sweep at home as well,hence the Change :giggle:

[vamos_rafa]

Good' date=' he does have very limited shots. Sachin started like this but kept adding more shots to his repository like the uppar cut, the behind sweep when required.[/quote'] Really? Sachin had a plethora of shots even when he started out. He didn't have the sweep shot becoz he didn't need it initially but once he felt the need he added it. And upper cut was something which he himself came up with. Kohli has hardly 4 strokes.

[vamos_rafa]

Good players of spin does not need to sweep' date='our players are not not confident of playing sweep[/quote'] No you need. A well played sweep can upset the spinner's rhythm completely. Look at how hayden played against harbhajan in the 2001 series. He used to manipulate the field with sweeps and also when needed would step out and hit over the top.

[Black Zero]

Wanna learn sweep, just call younis khan for tips, "the best Sweeper in world cricket these days" may be of all time.

[Shivaji bhonsle]

Wanna learn sweep' date=' just call younis khan for tips, "the best Sweeper in world cricket these days" may be of all time.[/quote'] We know he was a sweeper before he became a cricketer.

[Cricketics]

Virat Kohli has that attitude' date='that he will not give up easily.It speak volume of him that he choose to play for India A against Australlia A.It was expected of Rohit Sharma also,but he choose to rest inspite of his failure in test.[/quote'] We can't blame Rohit for not playing for India A. India A team had had to rest KL Rahul to give Kohli a chance. Givign Rohit a chance means omitting another player. It's not Rohit's fault here. May be he wanted to play too?

[Cricketics]

No you need. A well played sweep can upset the spinner's rhythm completely. Look at how hayden played against harbhajan in the 2001 series. He used to manipulate the field with sweeps and also when needed would step out and hit over the top.

From my experience of watching cricket all these years and also playing, the best way to upset a spinner is to move your feet. Just like how Steve Smitha and Michael Clarke do. Yes, sweep is another way but you can always play safe and have fielders on the leg side, but player walking in an out all the time really upsets the bowler and makes him change his natural line and length. Clarke played Muralitharan really well during the 2005 tour I think. He just kept coming down the wicket and nudge for a single and often for boundaries. Coming down the track does not really mean you have to whack the ball away like Sehwag, you can also nudge the ball for a single, something which Steve Smith is really good at these days.