New Delhi: Sanjay Bangar observed Virat Kohli's rise as a top international cricketer from 2014 to 2019. It was therefore not unexpected that the former India batting coach was called upon by Kohli for a unique net practice session as he prepares for his Ranji Trophy return after over 12 years.

In response to the BCCI's directive requiring all centrally contracted players to participate in domestic matches, Kohli, who has been facing challenges with his form, is set to play in Delhi's final league match against Railways at the Kotla starting January 30.

Kohli's teammates, including captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja, all completed their 'SOP duty' by participating in the recently finished Ranji Trophy matches.

In the match, Jadeja stood out with 12 wickets and 38 runs, while Gill made a significant contribution in the second innings with a score of 102.

Kohli's performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he scored 190 runs across 9 innings, has led to significant concerns regarding his prospects in international cricket. The 36-year-old has been struggling with technical difficulties when facing balls directed at and beyond the off-stump, resulting in a recurring pattern of dismissals.

Conversations with informed individuals in the Indian cricket community reveal that Kohli had a strong rapport with batting coach Bangar during their five-year tenure together on the national team.

From 2014 to 2019, Kohli accumulated the majority of his 80 international centuries, but since Bangar's tenure concluded, he has recorded just two Test centuries in the past five years.

Bangar departed from the national team following the 2019 ODI World Cup when Vikram Rathour was appointed as the batting coach.

"When Kohli's feedback was sought post 2019 World Cup, he had given a glowing certificate to Bangar, stating that as a batter, he had benefitted a lot from his technical inputs during all those years," a senior BCCI official, who was then associated with the appointment of support staff, told PTI.

Kohli's reliance on Bangar's insights was clear when, after his time with the Indian team, he joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a franchise where the former Indian captain's opinions hold significant influence.

Kohli was unable to participate in the recent Ranji Trophy round due to a "neck sprain." In an effort to regain his form, he reached out to Bangar, who organized a training session for him. This session reportedly took place outside the main city limits of Mumbai and is held at a facility that has been personally established by the former Indian all-rounder and Railways captain.

Bangar was observed assisting Kohli by throwing balls from a distance of 16 yards, emphasizing the technique of handling rising deliveries while batting on the back foot. A movable cement slab, equipped with wheels, was positioned at mid-pitch, between 8 to 10 meters, to deliver balls that rise sharply at the back of the length.

The purpose of this training session is to enhance backfoot techniques and expand shot variety in the square area of the wicket.

Kohli is an aggressive front-foot batsman known for his cover drive, while his backfoot play has become less prominent over the years.

Prior to the Ranji Trophy match, the focus was on making sure that even if he doesn't receive many deliveries that are ideal for driving, he can still adjust his stance and play shots square of the wicket.

Upon reviewing Kohli's performance over the years, it becomes evident that his wagon wheel does not prominently feature square cuts or square drives. These two shots are typically fundamental for batters when they adjust to deliveries pitched at a back length and outside the off-stump.

For an individual with a resilient mindset, developing a new set of techniques for themselves will not be particularly challenging.