Kohli seeks Tendulkar’s help after form slump

New Delhi: Virat Kohli’s decision to seek tips from Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai is just a brief part of his overall training programme leading to the 2015 World Cup, according to his childhood coach Raj Kumar Sharma.

Sharma told TOI that Kohli had some time on his hands and wanted to get some technical inputs after an ordinary tour of England. And who better to seek those tips than Tendulkar? “He (Kohli) is a very strong character. Technically, there is nothing really wrong as such. There might be a few minor adjustments. Even during the England tour, he was timing the ball well before James Anderson would get him out. It took six years for a bowler to work him out and Virat is keen to make sure he negates that,” Sharma said.

“It’s always better to get the guidance of a legend like Tendulkar. I can’t tell you what he has told me after interacting with Sachin….but Virat is now in a good mental state and is under no pressure. He had come to my house after arriving from England and told me how he had planned his preparations. He said he would be going to meet Sachin for two-three days and come back and distribute his time between his family and practice,” the coach added.

Sharma said Virat was relieved his slump had come before the World Cup. “He realises the law of averages has to catch up. In a way, it’s good that the slump has happened now and there is always scope for improvement. We have planned his preparations leading up to the World Cup. At the moment, it is necessary for him to get the runs against West Indies. All this is a learning curve. He is just 25,” Sharma said, adding: “He is keen to put the England tour behind him.”