Virat Kohli's vulnerability just outside the off-stump could be the reason behind his retirement from Test cricket, reckons former England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar. Kohli, 36, retired from Test cricket in May ahead of India's tour to England after a long run of poor form in red ball cricket.
Panesar, talking to PTI, said that Kohli retired from Tests to put his energy into ODIs and for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
"With Kohli, what has happened is that against the ball outside the off stump, the fifth stump line, especially in Australia on fast bouncy pitches he was struggling," the left-arm spinner said.
"So he probably thought maybe the fact that in England it is going to swing a lot more, he'll probably hasn't worked out solutions in that corridor of uncertainty
"And I think that's probably been one of the reasons why he thought to retire and put all his energy with RCB and ODI cricket for India."
Kohli's issues against balls around the off-stump re-emerged during India's tour to Australia where the right-hander consistently got out fishing outside the off-stump. He had earlier faced troubles on the same line during his horror 2014 tour to England where James Anderson consistently troubled him with this tactic.
However, Kohli overcame his outside off-stump challenges to script a stunning Test career before the numbers fell off a cliff due to a massive late career dip. He was struggling against spin and pace both leading to his average falling to 46.8.
"I think he's done very well as a cricketer in all formats. He has been a brilliant ambassador for Test cricket. He probably feels that he's done his best, he's achieved everything and probably feels like it's time for the youngsters to step up," Panesar, who was the hero of England's 2012 Test series triumph in India, added.
"It would be a lot tougher for Kohli to repeat the same performances of2018. Just simple fact that he's been struggling over the last 12 to 18 months with that ball outside off stump. He hasn't got a solution for that, you know problem that he has on fourth and fifth stump.
"So he's thinking it's better for Indian cricket to give youngsters a go and hopefully find the next superstar," said Panesar, who is currently commentating on the Saurashtra Pro T20 League.
