Asia Cup 2022: Virat Kohli unleashes big hits against Indian spinners in nets

The 2022 Asia Cup is just two days away and India, the defending champions, will square off against eternal rivals Pakistan in a riveting contest on the 28th of August. The Men in Blues, in a bid to clinch their third successive title this year, have started their practice sessions ahead of their epic opening fixture, with Virat Kohli showing intent in the nets.

The former Indian skipper’s rut with the bat continued in the white-ball series against England last month and was rested for the following series against West Indies and Zimbabwe. The 33-year-old heads into the tournament after registering just two half-centuries in 16 innings of the IPL 2022, following it up with a meager return in the six matches across all formats during India’s tour of England in July with 20 being his highest score.

Virat Kohli was among several batters who spent rigorous time in the nets on Wednesday, but the batting ace played with positive intent in contrast to his timid performances off late. He stepped out against the veteran spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, showcasing a transformation in his mindset. He even broke out in a chuckle after failing to connect one of the deliveries properly.

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Virat Kohli and Babar Azam exchanged friendly words on the sidelines on Wednesday

Meanwhile, India’s nemesis, Pakistan, also had their practice session ahead of the high-profile opening fixture. Babar Aam, the Pakistani skipper, has been amidst a purple patch, churning out big scores on a consistent basis for his team. The batting ace was pictured together with Kohli, exchanging pleasantries on the sidelines during their respective net sessions on Wednesday.

The neighbours will clash for the first time since India’s harrowing ten-wicket defeat in the T20 World Cup last year. Both teams suffered a telling blow heading into the tournament as India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi, two of the very best in the business, were ruled out of the tournament due to unfortunate injuries. But irrespective of the absentees, the fixture is still the most anticipated match of the competition.