Kohli scored 341 runs at an average of 22.73 in IPL 15.
Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting on Thursday (9th June) explained reason behind Virat Kohli’s lean patch of runs. He was confident that the former Indian skipper will work the tough phase out quickly.
Kohli certainly did not have the greatest of time with the bat of late. After a lean patch of runs at international stage, his struggle was quite evident in the recently concluded IPL 2022.
He did scored couple of fifties but it’s fair to say that the right-hander looked completely out of touch. Kohli scored 341 runs at an average of 22.73 in 16 matches and also registered multiple ducks in the tournament.
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It’s been almost 3 years since the 33-year-old has scored a ton. Many fans and pundits have raised concerns over Kohli’s form, especially with T20 World Cup 2022 around the corner. They feel that the right-hander needs a break to return to form and score runs like he used to do.
Speaking during the episode of the ICC Review, Ponting termed Kohli's poor run as a natural phase in his career. He admitted that there's a chance the Royal Challengers Bangalore batter might have been "burnt out" during the IPL but expressed confidence that he'll "work it out pretty quickly".
“It (poor form) is going to happen to everyone at some stage. Virat’s probably had a 10 or 12-year run where hasn’t had many down times. But there was a lot of talk and conjecture around the IPL about how tired and burnt out he might be.
“That’s for him to work out and assess and find ways to improve, whether it’s a technical thing or a mental thing. I’m sure, being the absolute professional that he is, that he’ll work it out and work it out pretty quickly,” Ponting said.
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Ponting highlighted that sometimes players bluff by telling themselves and try to convince themselves that they are not physically or mentally tired. The former Australian skipper feels Kohli might be going through the same stage but he’s sure that the Indian batter won’t stay down for too long.
“One thing I do know from experience is that quite often you bluff yourself as a player that you’re not actually tired, that you’re not physically or mentally tired. You always find a way to get yourself up for training, you always find a way to get yourself up for game.
“It’s not until you actually stop and have a couple of days do you realise how tired and fatigued you are. So that might be exactly where Virat Kohli is at now, but I’m pretty sure he won’t stay down for too long,” he said.
Kohli has been rested from the ongoing T20I series against South Africa and will join the Indian team for the Test match against England in July.
(ICC inputs)