Virat Kohli, despite showing early promise, got out for 35 in India’s Asia Cup match against Pakistan on Sunday. The former Indian cricket team captain is under focus after a lengthy lean phase. He was rested for the tours of West Indies and Zimbabwe, and the Asia Cup is a crucial tournament for him ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, which starts in Australia in two months’ time. Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar found enough positives in Kohli’s performance against Pakistan, but also suggested some changes in his batting style.

“A couple of things that I saw which I liked and something that I have not seen him do much before. If you remember he played three pulls in that innings. There was one hook that went for six, but there were a couple of pull shots that he played and those are the things that I look for you know as an analyst. This is what excites me whether he’s trying to do anything different,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on Sports18.

“Just getting a little bit technical, before the ball was delivered. On two occasions, he actually had a trigger movement where he went back in the crease, which meant that I think finally somebody’s got to him where he is now exploring the back foot play a little more. I saw that happen in England, but still mostly onto the front foot. There was a catch dropped again on the front foot reaching for the ball. So, if he starts mixing back foot aggression, I’m not saying back foot defence. Back foot aggression along with front foot aggression, life might just get better, and those signs were seen in that innings against Pakistan.”

India next face Hong Kong on Wednesday.