Kohli should carry on playing drives but needs to pick better balls: Rathour

Instead of giving up playing those expansive drives, Virat Kohli needs to pick the right deliveries for the perfect execution, feels India batting coach Vikram Rathour. Kohli was caught behind in the second innings of the ongoing Centurion Test and had edged one to the slips in the first innings as well.

Talking about the sort of discussions he has with the India skipper, Rathour said,  "These are shots which brings him (Kohli) lots of runs and it's his scoring shot. He needs to play that shot and I think it is always your strength that turns out to be your weakness as well."

While Sachin Tendulkar scored 241 against Australia without playing a single off-drive in Sydney in 2004, Rathour says curbing such shots is not the solution. "If you don't play a certain shot, you will never get out playing that shot. You will never score runs as well. Now, when to play that shot, that's the part there are constant discussions.

"Was it right all and right stage to play that shot? If we can tighten up our game plans a little more, that will be better. So that's the shot he (Kohli) plays well and he needs to carry on playing that shot but he needs to pick better balls," Rathour said, giving his opinion.

Rathour said that as a coaching unit, as long both Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are giving their 100% they are happy to persist with the out-of-form duo. "They (Pujara and Rahane) are trying their best, giving their best. Rahane looked in really good touch before he got out. So has Pujara. He has played some important innings in the past. You see these are challenging conditions for everybody ..."

Rathour said that the team management will show patience. "You need to be patient and as long as they are trying their best and giving their best, as coaching unit we are fine, how much time they get or are we getting impatient, not at this stage."

South Africa ended Day Four 94 for 4 and need a further 211 runs on the final day to win the first Test. Skipper Dean Elgar is going strong at the moment and ended the day unbeaten on 52.

(With inputs from PTI)