New Delhi, India

Virat Kohli's poor form with the bat has become a huge topic of discussion in world cricket. While Kohli hasn't scored a century in international cricket since late 2019, his form in IPL 2022 is also a cause of concern for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise.

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Though RCB are very much in contention for the playoffs, their former skipper Kohli hasn't got going in the 15th season. So far, Kohli has amassed only 216 runs at an average of 21.60 and a strike rate of 111.91. Even in some innings where he has scored runs, he has gone at an ordinary run-a-ball. During RCB's 13-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), on Wednesday (May 04) in match 49, Kohli again got a start but returned with a 33-ball 30. A game earlier, he had scored his first fifty of the season, versus Gujarat Titans (GT), but ended with a 53-ball 58. Thus, former West Indies speedster-turned-commentator Ian Bishop has expressed his concern over Kohli's dry run, below-par strike rate and knack of getting out to pff-spinners (Moeen Ali dismissed Kohli in CSK-RCB clash).

"For a while, for 10 or 15 runs, he wasn't even going at a run-a-ball, or he was just going at a run-a-ball," Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo's 'T20 Time Out'. "He didn't get ahead, and there wasn't much intent. He hit one (six) over extra-cover off the seamer (vs CSK), and that was when he just went ahead to a run-a-ball and then he came back.

"This is something we've been seeing with Virat, not just this season. Even last season, I remember, and even sometimes internationally, he'll fly out - he didn't fly out tonight - and then he'll slow down again. So, I'm concerned," opined Bishop.

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"Roston Chase got him out in the West Indies series (at home in February), we saw him getting out to the off-spinner in Test matches. So, I'm concerned about ... and I'm a Kohli fan. I tune in to watch cricket when Kohli's at his best, so it isn't criticism but an observation that I am concerned that a number of types of bowlers are getting him out and he's not getting ahead of the rate," added the veteran.

Amid his struggles, Kohli has been advised by many former cricketers, such as Ravi Shastri, MSK Prasad, Kevin Pietersen, etc., to take a significant break from cricket in order to stay afresh and return to scoring ways for Team India.