'You need a clear mind and fresh energy' - AB de Villiers has his say on Virat Kohli's form

Virat Kohli hasn’t been able to make his bat talk in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 and Royal Challengers Bangalore would want him to get his mojo back sooner than later. While the 33-year-old did score a half-century in his last outing against Gujarat Titans, he took 53 deliveries to get 58, and the same put pressure on other batters.

With Kohli being one of the finest batters ever, several prominent players have given their take on his dismal run. The latest to do so is none other than AB de Villiers, who spent over a decade with Kohli at RCB and is known to share a great bond with the former Indian captain. Sharing his views on the popular topic, the former South African international admitted bouncing back after a lean patch can be challenging.

You do not become a bad player overnight: AB de Villiers

“As a batter, 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,” the former Proteas captain was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. De Villiers further stated that more than the technical aspect, Kohli’s battle is within the mind.

“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.

Coming to his numbers, Kohli has scored 186 runs in 10 innings so far which includes two golden ducks. With the tournament heading towards its business end, the RCB batter would like to come up with some significant contributions. He has been opening the batting in the last few games and is likely to continue in that position for the rest of the competition.

Check out our latest analysis report of who will win today’s IPL match between RCB vs CSK