Kohli has been struggling for consistency across formats for a long time.
Former Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar wasn’t impressed with the idea of resting Virat Kohli for the ongoing West Indies tour but backed the struggling batter to play in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022.
Kohli has been struggling for consistency with the bat across three formats for a long time, and he was recently rested for the West Indies amid calls to drop the former skipper due to his batting failures.
However, Agarkar feels the calls for dropping Kohli from the Indian team are premature and unfair, as the team needs a player of his caliber in Australia to deal with the pressure situations.
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Ajit Agarkar said on FanCode: “I am sure there’s a little bit of worry. There’s a lot of talk about ‘Virat Kohli ko replace karlein’, I think it’s not fair. No doubt that, that’s why I am saying it’s premature (calls for Kohli to be dropped). He is not getting runs, a few other players are performing, but come to the World Cup in Australia, if India is two down, you want Virat Kohli in form, but you want a Virat Kohli batting there. Because he knows how to bat under pressure in the big stages.”
However, the former pacer hopes that Kohli will return to his old touch for the sake of India as there is also an ODI World Cup in 2023 while stressing that his place in the team should not be under threat.
Agarkar said, “He is getting starts. At the moment, he is finding new ways to get out. He knows how to score runs. At the moment, he is going through a lean patch which is the fact of life for every great player. Hopefully, for India’s sake, he gets back to form soon as there is a 50-over World Cup next year.”
He signed off by saying, “We have got some excellent young players who are doing well but that doesn’t mean you have to suddenly start questioning Virat Kohli. In World Cups, you need top players, you need experience. Hopefully, before that, he will get some runs. Once the confidence is there, he will find the Australian conditions the best to bat.”