'Need a clear mind' - AB de Villiers gives an interesting piece of advice to Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has been having a torrid time with the bat of late. He has struggled to consistently score runs for quite a while now. Besides, he hasn't been at his best in the ongoing Indian T20 league 2022 either.

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In the 10 games he has played so far, Kohli has only scored 186 runs. While he recently scored a half-century against Gujarat, the batting maestro has also scored two golden ducks in this edition. Thus, AB de Villiers recently spoke about Kohli's lean patch.

It is to be noted that he has played with the 33-year-old for a really long time. Both, Kohli and De Villiers, were teammates at the Bangalore-based franchise. In the process, they went on to have a great bond. The former Proteas batter felt that the Delhi batter's struggle is directly proportional to the battle in his mind.

"As a batsman you are only one or two bad knocks away from bad form. If it keeps coming at you it is difficult to bounce back from it," said AB de Villiers, as quoted by Hindustan Times. "I cannot put a percentage to it but it is the mind and power of the mind which is the main battle. You do not become a bad player overnight. Virat would know it and I know it. I think it's the way you think and set your mind. You need a clear mind and fresh energy whenever you play and then you can find a way out of a hole," he added.

As far as De Villiers is concerned, it is safe to call him one of the greatest players in the history of the Indian T20 league. He has scored 5162 runs in 184 games at an average of 39.71. This includes 40 fifties and a hundred. However, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket earlier in 2021.

As for Kohli, his form is going to be crucial if Bangalore are to make it to the playoffs. The 2016-finalists have won five out of their ten games, and are currently placed sixth in the points table. They are scheduled to face Chennai on May 4. Thus, all the Bangalore fans would be hoping that Kohli overcomes his poor form, and starts consistently scoring runs once again.