Does Virat Kohli have a weakness against spin? RCB coach sheds light

Since 2024, Virat Kohli has got out six times in 7 innings against leg-spin in ODIs.

Virat Kohli’s aggressive game against spin bowling has been questioned for some time now. Take into account his recent struggles, especially against leg-spin bowling. Since 2024, Kohli averages just 12.00 against leg-spin bowling, getting out six times in seven innings. However, he’s having a fabulous IPL 2025, and all the struggles seem to have faded away.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) spin-bowling coach Malolan Rangarajan has thrown his weight behind Virat Kohli, insisting that the star batter does not need to overhaul his game to tackle spin bowling more effectively.

Virat Kohli vs spin – sometimes good, sometimes eh

Virat Kohli isn’t a batter filled with extreme power. Instead, he relies on his technique and rhythm. Against pace, he uses the steam off the deck and against spin, the former RCB captain looks to find gaps. Through the years, he has evolved too, going from strength to strength against all types of bowlers. However, arguments can be made for his aggressive game against spin.

From 2020 to 2023, Kohli just wasn’t great against the tweakers. In the middle overs of the IPL, he did have an average of over 54, but his strike rate was concerning. He was basically making just 105.8 runs per 100 balls, making him impactless.

However, since the teams have gained the correct power of using the Impact Player rule, Kohli’s game against spin has been significantly better. Since IPL 2024, Kohli is striking at around 136 in the middle overs, while averaging 56.2. Supporting his case, RCB spin coach waxed lyrical about the talisman and said:

“It wasn’t only Virat last season who was not batting at the desired strike rate. It was the whole team. So I think the whole team got together. And that’s precisely what happened. That’s part one,” said Malolan on the eve of the away game against Delhi Capitals here on Sunday, as quoted by PTI.

Virat Kohli T20 stats vs leg-spin/left-arm spin

“‘Genius’ Virat Kohli needs no extra practice vs spin”

For years, left-arm spin and leg spin were seen as potential chinks in Kohli’s otherwise formidable armour. In IPL 2023, his strike rate against left-arm spin stood at a modest 119.79. However, as mentioned above, Kohli has turned that narrative on its head in the last two seasons. He lifted his strike rate against left-arm spin to 131.19 in 2024 and has taken it to a remarkable 146.15 in the current campaign.

Calling Kohli a “genius”, Malolan dismissed any notions that the former RCB captain needed major technical adjustments against spin. Instead, he credited Kohli’s experience and innate ability to adapt under pressure for the turnaround.

“Part two is about Virat Kohli as the individual. He does not need to go and practise extra against left-arm spin and leg spin. He’s batted for 20-25 years. He’s a genius. He just has to decide what he wants to do and how he wants to take down a particular bowler. And it’s very evident that someone like Virat, even after having played for so long, he’s constantly looking at what more he can do. Which is, to me, unbelievable,” he added.

“The attitude with which he comes into every training session, every match. So, Virat, I don’t think he did anything specifically physically (on his spin play). Batting more of left-arm spin, batting more leg spin. It was just the group coming together and acknowledging the fact that we weren’t good enough last year,” Malolan concluded.

Most runs vs spin at IPL 2025 ft. Kohli

Virat Kohli vs spin in middle overs (IPL)