Virat Kohli should nudge others to bring best; enough of leading from the front: W V Raman

As India vs England Test series is evenly poised with 1-1, skipper Virat Kohli is yet to find his form on the English tour. It's been almost 2 years since Team India skipper Virat Kohli has scored any century in Test cricket and as a result, the star cricketer has been facing criticism from not only fans on social media but also from many cricket experts. Kohli has only 124 runs from five innings with just one half-century to his name and has now gone more than 50 innings without an international century.

Now, former Test cricketer-turned-commentator W V Raman has advised the Indian cricket team captain to stop leading from the front instead start nudging other players to bring out their best. 

W V Raman's suggestion to Virat Kohli

Speaking at Sony Sports, W V Raman hypothetically said that if he was Kohli's coach, he would have stopped him from leading from the front and would have advised nudging other players to perform better. 

"If I was Virat's coach, I would tell him: 'Virat (Kohli), enough of this leading from the front. Just try and nudge the others from behind and get them to do what they can deliver. I'm sure you'll be back at your best in no time," said Raman. 

"He did show shades of his old game and fluency in the last innings. I'm sure he will definitely do well in the next two Test matches," the former India cricketer said.

Raman also said Kohli was in a situation similar to the one faced by maestro Sachin Tendulkar. 

"See we cannot really fault him. What can generally be the norm in life and other spheres might not apply in cricket always. I mean, what has happened is, there is a lot of pressure on Virat himself. We pay a lot of attention to everything he does. We know he is one of the best batsmen so we expect a lot from him. 

"It's similar to how it was with Sachin Tendulkar when he was playing. Even 95 was considered a failure," he said.

W V Raman on Ajinkya Rahane's lean patch in England

Apart from Virat Kohli, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant have failed to make any mark in the ongoing India-England five matches Test series. Cheteshwar Pujara too went through a lean patch, however, the cricketer scored 91 runs in the second innings of the third Test. 

"Perhaps you can take a leaf out of the approach of KL Rahul in Nottingham. He was playing very close, coming down the track, looking to leave as much as he wanted to play, which is good batting. He also executed what was expected of him. It also gave confidence to the dressing room that this is something that can be done," said W V Raman. 

"So perhaps it's a case of each batter working out on an approach that will help him overcome the conditions. Rahane is experienced, has played international cricket, and also got runs abroad. It's just that he has to work on his approach and method to succeed," he said. 

Meanwhile, Team India will face England in the fourth Test at the Oval slated to take place on September 2. 

(Image Credits: AP/@WVRaman/Twitter)