Virat Kohli is not in his batting zone at the moment: Mohammad Kaif

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif delivers a blunt verdict on Virat Kohli's current form, stating the star batter is "not in his batting zone" and lacks rhythm following his failure in the first ODI against Australia. Kaif highlights the importance of regular match practice for the batting legend to regain his touch ahead of the second match.

23 Oct 2025 12:04 IST

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Former Indian cricketer and analyst Mohammad Kaif has emphasized that the Indian talismanic No.3 batter Virat Kohli is currently out of his batting zone, lacking rhythm due to a lack of practice in professional cricket.

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Notably, Kohli suffered an eight-ball duck in the first ODI and a four-ball duck in the second ODI, while Rohit Sharma could score only eight runs off 14 balls with a four in the first ODI. This was their first international game since March 2025.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif asserted that it’s important for any player to play the game every second or third day to be in good rhythm and understand the technicalities from the bowler's point of view.

"A player is only good till he has his rhythm, batting form, and is playing games regularly. The eyes are sharp when you're playing every second or third day. When that happens, the player can tell from the hand whether the ball is an in-swinger or out-swinger, or whether it is a yorker or a slower one. That ability to pick deliveries comes from playing regularly... You are in your batting zone," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

"Virat is not in his batting zone at the moment, clearly... There was a lack of rhythm, and he was out of touch, which is why he got out in the last match," he reckoned.

Interestingly, Australia will be bolstered by the inclusion of Adam Zampa and Alex Carey in their playing XI for the second ODI in Adelaide. Furthermore, Kaif stated that both Kohli and Rohit need to spend some important time at the crease to score big.

"Zampa will also be playing in the second match; he will be making a comeback... He has a good record against India, having gotten Virat Kohli out on many occasions. In my view, Australia have become a stronger team in this game compared to the previous one... How do you play after the first spell? Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma can score big, but they need to spend some time at the crease," he concluded.

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