Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has once again backed his teammate Virat Kohli amid talks regarding the latter’s form in international cricket. Kohli has been going through a rough patch for the last couple of years. His last international century came against Bangladesh in 2019. Some former cricketers including Kapil Dev have questioned Virat Kohli’s spot in the Indian team.
Virat Kohli missed the first ODI against England due to a groin injury. He replaced Shreyas Iyer in the Indian team for the next match. With pressure mounting on him, the 33-year-old once again failed to make an impact. He was dismissed for 16 runs off 25 deliveries in the second ODI. Ultimately, India lost the match by 100 runs, leveling the three-match ODI series 1-1.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has once again defended Virat Kohli. He expressed that he does not understand the talk surrounding Kohli’s form. Rohit Sharma also added that Virat Kohli just needs a couple of innings to bounce back to form. He said,
“He [Kohli] has played so many matches. He is playing for so many years. He is such a great batsman, so he does not need reassurance. I pointed this out in my last press conference, too: form goes up and down, that is part and parcel of any cricketer’s career. So, a player like him, who has played for so many years, who has made so many runs, who has won so many matches, for him, he only needs one or two good innings (to bounce back). That is my thinking and I am sure all those who follow cricket will think similarly.”
There is a slump in every player’s life: Rohit Sharma
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma further pointed out that every player goes through rough patches in their career. He expressed that despite poor form, the “quality of the player never gets worse”. The right-handed batter added that Virat Kohli has vast experience of playing at the international level and needs to be backed by the team. He said,
“We do have chats about this topic, but we should also understand and think when we talk about such things. We have seen the performance of all players go up and down, but the quality of the player never gets worse. That we all should keep in mind. That is very important. He has made so many runs, check his average, how many hundreds he has made, he has (vast) experience of doing that. There is a slump in every player’s life. Even in personal life comes.”
Virat Kohli has been rested from the ODI and the T20I squad for the upcoming West Indies tour. Meanwhile, the decider between India and England in the three-match ODI series will take place on July 17 at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
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