With over 5500 runs and 18 centuries in the World Test Championship, Joe Root has arguably been the best Test batter in the last five years. Root, along with Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith, were part of the Fab 4; however, only Root was able to play with serious consistency in the WTC, while the other three saw a significant dip in form.

Virat Kohli was the worst performer among the Fab 4 and scored only five centuries in the WTC, averaging in the mid-30s, way below the standard he set. Kohli faced issues with deliveries outside off and was consistently caught behind the wickets. Unfortunately, he couldn't overcome his weakness and announced his retirement from the format ahead of the five-match Test series against England.

This was not a new issue for Kohli, but between 2014-2019, he had figured out a way to counter it. However, he lost control of his instincts in the last few years, and couldn't help himself from chasing balls outside off.

During an interview with TOI, Root was asked about his take on Kohli's constant struggles with deliveries outside off and why it was difficult to overcome the flaws. The former England captain said that players often don't get time to work on their issues between series, adding that playing against high-quality bowlers also makes it challenging for a player.

“Every player is different. If you’re in a five-match Test series and there’s something in your game that doesn’t sit well with you, it can be difficult. You haven’t got time to go and get two weeks off to work on that thing. There’s no breathing space unless you make a drastic change within a Test. But then you’re playing against some very high-quality players in their own conditions. And let’s not forget, a lot of people will keep mentioning how you got out!” Root told the Times of India.

Root further said players often make adjustments to their batting during the slump, but any technical change comes with its pros and cons.

“Kohli still got 100 in that first Test (in Perth), which India won. It’s all about what you can do to wrestle things back in your favour — whether it’s a change of guard or batting out of your crease or in your crease, or to try and create width by staying leg-side of the ball rather than feeling like you’ve got to make technical changes in that short span. Whenever you make a change, there could be massive pros to it and slight cons to it. You’ve got to work out if it’s worth doing each and every time,” he added.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Sports, Cricket and around the world.