Rasid Latif: This is why Virat and Smith are not able to score big.
Former Pakistan Captain Rasid Latif shares his opinion on the long lasting century drought of Steve Smith and Virat Kohli.
Rasid Latif said that Virat Kohli and Steve Smith need space to score the runs. Both the players last reached triple figures in 2019.
Steve Smith scored his last century at Manchester in 2019. He scored 211 in that innings. As for Virat Kohli, his match winning knock of 136 in Kolkata was the last time he scored a ton.
The former player analysed as to why the two modern greats are unable to convert their 50’s into a 100.
Virat Kohli has scored 22 half centuries since that knock in Kolkata, but is unable to get his 71st ton.
He has not scored a century in any format of the game.
This is a rather unusual slump when it comes to Steve Smith and Virat Kohli, who acc to Rasid Latif used to score centuries at will.
Also read: https://www.sportstrumpet.com/steve-smith-and-usman-khawaja-keep-australia-in-contention/
One reason, he stated was that the two batsmen have got accustomed to home pitches.
“I feel they have got a lot many easy pitches there (home). They are those kinds of players who need places and conditions. Look at Steve Smith, the two boundaries he hit were worth watching..so that is the kind of field placements he needed – no cover or mid-wicket or the area in front of him remains vacant. And once he starts scoring runs, fielders are placed according and he gets bogged down,” he added.
He feels the same thing is happening with Indian superstar Virat Kohli as well.
Rasid Latif also mentioned that “Fact is there is a lot of pressure here and he is actually playing better here than he was during the Ashes. He should have gotten a century. For Virat Kohli as well, the pitch factor is there again. But it will come and once it starts you just begin counting.”
We can hope it is only a matter of time till the two greats of the game start getting the triple digit score at ease.
Steve Smith still has the second innings against Pakistan in the last test match of the series but, Virat Kohli can only attempt 1 after the IPL is over.
Virat Kohli, who has handed over the captaincy to Faf Du Plessis, will be raring to go and perform well. Try to carry his form into the Asia cup before the T20I World Cup begins in November.
Virat Kohli’s RCB face Punjab Kings on 27th March, 2022.
