Sport Trading 
Predictions 
Virat Kohli has been struggling for runs in the last 14 months or so. He averages 21.62 since the start of 2024 across the three formats in international cricket. He has just one hundred and three fifties to his name.
While the lack of runs is a concern, the former India captain’s pattern of dismissals is a far bigger worry. He was constantly nicking the ball outside off-stump in Australia in Test cricket while his struggles against leg-spin in the 50-over format seem to be well documented.
Hence, it is something that Sunil Gavaskar pointed out as well. The legendary India opener believes it because Kohli opens the face of the bat which is putting him in trouble.
“It is to a great extent due to the fact that the bat’s face opens up. Same thing happens when he’s playing against the quicks in Australia. The bat face opening up, looking to play through the covers, opening the face of the bat, that gets him into trouble. So, that is something that he’s got to watch out for, even when he got out,” Sunil Gavaskar was quoted saying to India Today.
Kohli has got out to leg-spin in five out of his last six ODIs. Adil Rashid accounted for him in a similar fashion in the ODI series against England before Rishad Hossain troubled him and eventually dismissed him for 22.
“A couple of times before he got out, he reached for Rishad, the ball turned, the bat face opened, and luckily the bat face opened and so there was no nick. So, that is something that he’ll have to tighten up on now. But yes, I guess if you’re getting out to the same kind of bowling, then there is a bit of concern there,” Gavaskar added.
Anything can happen in cricket: Gavaskar
Ahead of the big clash between India and Pakistan, Gavaskar didn’t confirm India as outright favourites. He believes anything can happen on a given day and all you need is one game-changer which Pakistan possess.
“Look, in cricket, anything can happen. You need just one player to be the game-changer, whether it’s with the bat or the ball. And Pakistan have always had mercurial players, you know, somebody, you know, who will come in and play a blinder or somebody who will, you know, bowl an amazing spell. They’ve always had that. So, it’s very difficult to say totally that India are the outright favourite,” the 75-year-old said.
India face Pakistan on the 23rd of February in Dubai. India started their tournament with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh while Pakistan lost their opening game of the Champions Trophy against New Zealand.
