BABAR BATS FOR KOHLI AMID SLUMP
Debate over India star’s future as Azam tweets support
PAKISTAN skipper Babar Azam last Friday (15) said India’s Virat Kohli remains one of the best players in world cricket despite his prolonged slump, and should get all the support he needs to regain his batting form.
Kohli, who has been rested for the upcoming ODIl and Twenty20 series in West Indies, has not hit a century since 2019. He has been under fire for his extended lean patch, with questions being raised over his future.
But Azam last Thursday (14) tweeted a picture of the two sporting rivals captioned “This too shall pass. Stay Strong”. The social media post went viral as fans praised the Pakistan batsman for backing the former India captain.
“As a player (tough) times can fall on you as well,” Azam said ahead of his side’s opening Test in the two-match series in Sri Lanka.
“I know how a player goes through such times and how he comes out of it. So he needs support in those times and as a player I tweeted to support him.”
Azam, who is often compared to Kohli for his prolific run-scoring, added: “He is one of the best players and he knows how to come out this. It takes time but we should back him.”
However, former cricketers including Kapil Dev have said Kohli should be dropped and youngsters given a chance to prove their worth in a competitive Indian team.
“Play in-form players when you have loads of options,” Dev said.
“You can’t just go by reputation, you have to look for current form. You can be an established player but that doesn’t mean you will be given chances even if you fail five games in a row. If world No 2 Test bowler Ravi Ashwin can be dropped from Test side then your No 1 batter can also be dropped.
“I hope Kohli scores runs. And if there’s a [selection] challenge after that, it’s a big one.
“At the moment, Virat Kohli isn’t playing like the Kohli we know, the one that has made him a legend through his performances.
“If he isn’t performing, you can’t continue to keep these boys [youngsters] out. I hope there’s a healthy fight for selection – the youngsters should look to outperform Kohli.”
India captain Rohit Sharma, however, has backed his senior batsman to bounce back soon.
“He has been such a great batsman, he doesn’t need reassurances,” Sharma said after his team’s ODI loss to England last Thursday.
The visitors went on to win the final match at Old Trafford last Sunday (17) to give them a 2-1 ODI series victory against England, to go with the 2-1 series win in the T20 format earlier.
“Form does go up and down, it’s part (and) parcel of a player’s life. It’s just a matter of one or two innings” for Kohli, he added.
Sourav Ganguly, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said Kohli “has got to find his way” to score runs again.
Many former players, including Ashish Nehra, believe the star batsman should take a prolonged break to get his batting mojo back.
Kohli, who has hit 27 centuries in 102 Tests since his debut in 2011, has endured a torrid 12 months that also saw him replaced as India’s captain.
Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has offered his support to Kohli, saying he can help him come out this rut.
“If I had about 20 minutes with him, I would be able to tell him the things he might have to do. I am not saying it will help him but it could, particularly with regard to the off-stump line,” Gavaskar said.
“Having been an opening batter, having been troubled by that line, there are certain things that you try and do.
“It goes back to the fact that his first mistake turns out to be his last. Again, because he is not among the runs, there is this anxiety to play at every delivery because batters feel they have got to score.
“You look to play at deliveries you otherwise won’t. But he has gotten out to good deliveries as well on this tour.”