IND vs PAK: Ex-coach decodes Virat Kohli's 'Significant change' vs Pakistan's pace trio

As India will take on Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2023 campaign opener, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, as to how he would approach the game. Following a dry spell of two years, Kohli returned to his run-scoring form in the 2022 in Asia Cup. He ended the wait of the 72nd international century by smashing a daddy-hundred against Afghanistan and went on to amass more runs than anybody in the T20 World Cup that followed. Though, in the World Cup he did not score a century, but his match-winning 82 not out against Pakistan proved to be his greatest knock, arguably. 

READ: India vs Pakistan LIVE score, Asia Cup 2023 latest updates: India elect to bat first

3 things you need to know

• India will commence Asia Cup 2023 campaign against Pakistan

• This will be the first time since 2019 that India and Pakistan will collide in a 50-over format

• India has 7 Asia Cup trophies to its name

What did Virat Kohli change in his game?

As Kohli is set to face his favorite opponent again, Sanjay Bangar has laid weight on what Kohli has changed to attract sudden success. In the Asia Cup the trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, will pose a challenge for Kohli, but according to Bangar, he is up for the challenge.

“He has got into that habit of scoring big runs again. Generally, he was sort of lunging towards the ball, making a big stride forward, and because of that, he was getting out a lot in the slip cordon or also was getting out trapped in front of the wicket. So what is he doing now? He is setting up really nice and early, staying still, allowing the ball to come to him. That is one aspect which is going to help him big time, especially against Shaheen Shah Afridi because he gets the ball to swing in late,” Bangar told Star Sports' Game Plan.

“And if we are watching the ball, letting it come to you, you can actually play it down the ground or play it to mid-on or mid-wicket region; that is where his strength is. Against Naseem Shah, because he is not lunging forward, his judgment outside off stump is going to be perfect. And against Haris Rauf, who is sort of back of the length all the time, he can rock onto the back foot or play those pull shots which he did really well in the last Asia Cup.”

READ: IND vs PAK, Asia Cup 2023: Confirmed Playing XI, last-minute Dream11 tips, Toss update

Lethal against spinners as well

Bangar further paid heed to how Virat Kohli takes on the spinners and said, "he has his own methods of scoring runs". “Against the spinners, he has his own methods of scoring runs. Against Shadab Khan, he will look to rock onto the back foot, play between points and cover region, a lot on the back foot. Against Mohammad Nawaz, he will look to use his feet because he is not afraid of doing that. And if the ball is pitched slightly short, then he can rock onto the back foot and explore that area on either side of the deep mid-wicket region,” said Bangar.