'Needs to rotate the strike' - Irfan Pathan's advice for struggling Virat Kohli

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has emphasised on the need to rotate the strike amid Virat Kohli’s unusual struggle upon his return to international cricket. Featuring in India’s blue for the first time since the triumphant campaign at the 2025 Champions Trophy in March, Kohli has recorded an unprecedented and unwanted feat in his ODI career, falling for two consecutive ducks in the three-match series against Australia.

Kohli outside-edged Mitchell Starc in the first encounter in Perth, falling for an eight-ball nought, while he was pinned LBW by Xavier Bartlett in Adelaide for a four-ball duck. Pathan pinned his failure on the lack of strike rotation, as Kohli remained stuck on one end in both innings so far, something that is usually not associated with him.

“Virat Kohli’s form is important. He needs to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard moving. Because once he starts doing that, it becomes very difficult for any opposition to stop him. I hope Virat starts rotating the strike quickly, gets some runs on the board, and once that happens, there’s no looking back for him,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.

Meanwhile, Pathan’s co-panellist, former India opener Aakash Chopra, shared his two cents on India’s bowling lineup going into the third and final ODI of the series in Sydney on October 25. He reckoned that the tourists might not need three pacers at the venue, as it is known to assist spin, and must include Kuldeep Yadav in the XI after keeping him on the bench for the first two clashes.

“Three fast bowlers might not be needed in Sydney, because it’s generally a spin-friendly pitch. Kuldeep Yadav enjoys bowling here; it’s a big ground, and you can use that to your advantage in the middle overs. India should play Kuldeep and look to exploit the middle overs phase, creating wicket-taking opportunities and pressure through spin,” Chopra stated.