Champions Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli prepares to tackle spin threat against Pakistan

One glaring aspect of Virat Kohli’s depleting form with the bat in the red-ball cricket is his failure to tackle spin. When it comes to the ODIs, his percentage of dismissals against spin since 2022 is 47.22 percent. But the debate around his across-the-format struggle have become a centre of attention. Since 2022, the right-handed batter was dismissed 42 times out of 101 dismissals in 115 innings. Which makes a combined percentage of 41.58 percent. 

Many former cricketers have been highlighting this very aspect of Kohli’s change in approach. The likes of Harbhajan Singh and Aakash Chopra were critical after his dismissal to Rishad Hossain in the first game of the Champions Trophy 2025.

This is not just the case with Kohli, several Indian batters’ struggle against spin came to light during India’s Test series against New Zealand, where the visiting spinners Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel shared major wickets between them. 

"It goes on to show that no matter how big you are, your reputation will not count. But what you do there, the intent that you show, will take you forward. I certainly believe that slower bowlers, leggies, have given him some sort of discomfort. He needs to come up with some plan against leggies. He needs to find a way to convert those dot balls into singles,” Harbhajan Singh told India Today.

Also Read: 'I feel he is trying a bit too hard' - Anil Kumble on Virat Kohli's form, struggle against spin

India will go up against Pakistan on Sunday

Notably, Team India will clash against Pakistan on Sunday, February 23, where the latter will have spinners in their playing XI. Hence, the legendary batter has been honing his skills to tackle the spin deliveries. Virat Kohli, who surpassed Sachin Tendulkar in terms of most centuries in ODI cricket during World Cup 2023, looked at ease while playing spin and his batting average overall was a brilliant 95.62 having played all games. He will aim to reclaim back the lost plot in the ongoing ICC event.