‘Virat knows best where to perform’

FEDERATION CUP PREMIER LEAGUE FORMULA ONE

:Virat Kohli’s form with the bat has taken a dip of late from the standards he has set. After he performed fastastically well in the home season last year, the India skipper’s scoresheet has been on a decline.

Virat Kohli had scored four double centuries in back-to-back series’ against the West Indies, New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, Kohli saw a dip against Australia where he scored only 46 runs in five innings, averaging a meagre 9.2.

In the ongoing 10th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) too, Virat Kohli has not even come close to the heights he reached a season earlier. Kohli was the highest-scorer of IPL 2016 with 973 runs at an average of 81.08 which also included as many as four centuries and seven half-centuries.

Compare that to the 250 runs he has scored so far in nine matches in IPL 2017, at an average of 27.77 with just three half-centuries. Though these are respectable numbers, it does not live up to the name he has created for himself.

However, India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev is not worried. Putting an end to all speculation about Kohli’s loss of form,India’sgreatestall-rounder backed the India captain to come good in the Champions Trophy. When queried about Kohli’s form, the 58-year-old Kapil said, “Kohli is an important member of the team. Earlier, people used to say that he does not perform in Tests. Now that he does, we are saying he is going through a lean patch.

“It is wrong to criticise. Virat knows best when to play, how to perform and where to perform.”

Kapil Dev, who also unveiled his own Madame Tussauds wax statue here on Thursday, said India need to perform collectively and not depend on Kohli.

“Did you see the Test against Australia at Dharamsala? Everybody said if Kohli doesn’t play India will lose. But we all know what happened.

“It is unfair to bring down other team members by thinking that India’s chances depend only on him,” Kapil said.

India had defeated Australia in the fourth and final Test at Dharamsala to clinch the series 2-1. Kohli did not play due to a shoulder injury.