WHAT'S GOT VIRAT KOHLI IN A SPIN? Since IPL 2022, only 7 shot types have 150+ SR vs spin. The avg batter attempts them ~25% of the time. Kohli? Under 14%. And he's bad at 3/7. A deep dive into advanced data on Kohli's spin game ahead of #RCBvGT - A THREAD #CricketTwitter

These 7 shot types (min 75 attempts each) are: straight drive, slog sweep, slog, pull, sweep, paddle sweep, reverse sweep. Among these, straight drive, slog sweep, slog and pull generate very high attacking output (200+ SR).

Kohli doesn't paddle or reverse, so 2/7 are absent. He also has terribly low attacking output on the slog (122 SR and 3 dismissals in 9 attempts). Kohli has excellent numbers in the remaining 4, but his attempt rate stands at a poor 13.96%, well below even the average batter.

The best players of spin attempt these 7 shots very often and with great efficiency. For context, Heinrich Klaasen has a mindboggling 300+ SR on 6/7 and has a ~31% attempt rate. Abhishek Sharma has an equally impressive 250+ SR on 6/7 and a ~25% attempt rate.

Kohli's on-drive numbers are decent - 134 avg and 143 SR, with an attempt rate of 20%. But when it comes to cover drives, he plays it way too safe. Kohli strikes at less than 102 and attempts them 11% of the time - sacrificing attacking output for control and strike rotation.

On these 2 shots: Klaasen: ~170 SR, 13.6% attempt rate Abhishek: ~150 SR, 34.7% attempt rate In short: the best spin hitters maximize even low-risk shots, prioritizing attacking output over wicket preservation. And this is on top of destruction with the primary scoring shots.

This reflects in Kohli's scoring areas against spin. Without the paddle & the reverse, he doesn't make use of the area behind square at all. And the 3 areas he accesses the most are dominated by relatively low-risk options - cover-drive, on-drive and flick.

The basic underlying numbers are telling: against 3 styles of spin, Kohli doesn't take enough risks, with strike rates under 130. He's as tough to get out as any other batter, but that isn't always a great thing in T20s.

A player as great as Kohli, who has constantly developed his batting arsenal throughout his career, won't take long to dispel these demons. But for that, he needs to understand that there's a problem. He isn't playing rewarding shots often enough with the necessary efficiency.

Kohli's masterclass in the last #RCBvGT game was a promising sign, and it needs to continue. Until there are results over a sustained period, he will be under scrutiny. If we know anything about him, though, it's that he'll turn it around.

END OF THREAD --------- As always, feedback, discussions and RTs appreciated!