New Delhi: Former India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has revealed how he mustered the courage to speak to Virat Kohli about his issues with the cover drive during the latter's final Test series in Australia. The former Netherlands batter noted that he had learned from some of the best coaches the importance of initiating conversations with players without being afraid to do so, even when dealing with established stars.
Kohli's difficulties against deliveries in the corridor of uncertainty outside the off-stump drew intense scrutiny during India's five-Test tour in 2024-25. Although the former captain opened the campaign with an unbeaten century in Perth, his form subsequently dipped as he fell eight times in a similar fashion, getting caught behind or in the slips while attempting expansive drives outside off.
He concluded the series with 190 runs at an average of 23.75, playing his final red-ball innings in Sydney where Scott Boland dismissed him for six runs. He announced his retirement from Test cricket a few months afterward.
Speaking on talkSPORT, ten Doeschate explained that he finally approached Kohli during the fourth Test after observing the repetitive nature of his dismissals. He admitted that approaching a player of Kohli's stature presented a daunting challenge, requiring careful thought to ensure the feedback did not sound like harsh criticism. He ultimately found an opening during a rain break to address the batter in a non-confrontational manner, praising Kohli for turning the moment into a constructive discussion rather than taking offense.
The former assistant coach acknowledged that the exchange did not spark the late-series statistical turnaround the team wanted. Nevertheless, he maintained that modern coaches must avoid shying away from difficult discussions out of deference to player influence, pointing to mentors like Gary Kirsten as examples of leaders who understood how to engage in meaningful dialogue.
While Kohli initially returned to domestic cricket for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy to signal his readiness for an England tour, he ultimately retired from the format midway through the Indian Premier League season. He has since maintained a dominant presence in ODI cricket, recently surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most runs in successful run chases.