Virat Kohli's Spin Struggles: Analyzing His Performance and Coach's Insights

Kohli's Recent Challenges Against Spin Bowling

Virat Kohli has recently found himself at the center of discussions regarding his performance against spin bowlers, particularly leg-spinners. In his matches since 2024, Kohli has struggled significantly, averaging a mere 12.00 against leg-spin, having been dismissed six times in just seven innings.

Support from RCB's Spin Coach

Malolan Rangarajan, the spin-bowling coach for RCB, has come to Kohli's defense, asserting that the renowned batsman does not need any drastic changes to his technique for better handling of spin bowling. He praised Kohli as a "genius" and emphasized that his experience and ability to adapt under pressure are crucial for his anticipated resurgence.

Kohli's Approach to Batting

Kohli prefers a rhythmic and technical approach rather than relying solely on brute strength. He effectively utilizes the pitch's bounce against pace and skillfully finds gaps when facing spin. Despite his aggressive stance against spin, criticism persists.

Performance Trends from 2020 to 2023

Between 2020 and 2023, Kohli's performance against spinners was less than stellar, particularly in the IPL's middle overs, where he maintained a 54+ average but had a disappointing strike rate of just 105.8 runs per 100 balls. However, the introduction of the Impact Player rule has significantly transformed his game. In IPL 2024, he now boasts a strike rate of approximately 136 in the middle overs, with an average of around 56.2, earning accolades from RCB's spin coach.

Insights from Recent Matches

Reflecting on a recent away game against DC, Malolan noted, "It wasn’t just Virat last season who struggled with his strike rate; the entire team faced similar challenges. We all came together to address this issue, which was a crucial part of our strategy."

Kohli's Evolution Against Spin

Historically, left-arm and leg-spin have posed challenges for Kohli. In IPL 2023, he had a strike rate of 119.79 against left-arm spin, but this has improved significantly. As of 2024, his strike rate has surged to 131.19, and he has further elevated it this season to an impressive 146.15.

Kohli's Dedication to Improvement

Malolan further commented, "Kohli, as an individual, does not need to practice excessively against left-arm and leg-spin. With 20-25 years of experience, he is a genius who knows how to approach each bowler. Even after all this time, he continuously seeks ways to enhance his game, which is truly remarkable."

Kohli's Performance Against Spin in IPL 2025 Most runs vs spin at IPL 2025 ft. Kohli:
Player I R B Outs Avg SR 4s 6s Dots

Nicholas Pooran	8	198	74	2	99.00	267.57	12	22	25
Virat Kohli	7	186	135	2	93.00	137.78	13	7	31
Suryakumar Yadav	8	183	115	2	91.50	159.13	21	6	29
Sai Sudharsan	7	152	94	2	76.00	161.70	16	5	22
Jos Buttler	7	135	87	3	45.00	155.17	10	7	24

Kohli's Spin Performance in IPL Middle Orders Virat Kohli vs spin in middle-orders (IPL):
Year Mat Runs Outs Average SR 4s 6s

2020	12	181	2	90.5	105.2	4	5
2021	8	98	2	49.0	101.0	5	3
2022	7	76	2	38.0	105.6	2	3
2023	9	137	3	45.7	110.5	7	3
2024	11	205	4	51.2	140.4	12	10
2025	7	132	2	66.0	129.4	7	5
Overall IPL career	54	829	15	55.3	116.3	37	29