Veteran India batter Virat Kohli returned to his vintage best in the Asia Cup 2022. While the Men in Blue couldn’t qualify for the final, he finished the tournament as the second highest run-getter with 276 runs from five innings at an average of 92 and a strike rate of 147.50, including 1 century and 2 fifties.
Kohli's form came as a big relief for India as the countdown for the T20 World Cup 2022 has already started. The showpiece event is due to be played in Australia from October 16 to November 13.
Despite his great run in the Asia Cup, several experts want Kohli to retire from the shortest format of the game in the near future as he will turn 34 in November.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has said that Kohli shouldn't reach a stage where he is dropped and his aim should be to retire on a high.
"The way Virat has played, the start that he had to his career, he had overcome struggles and work hard before he made a name for himself. He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement. At such a stage, the aim should be to go out on a high," Afridi said on Samaa TV.
"It shouldn't reach a stage where you are dropped from the team. Instead, retirement should be announced when you are at your peak. It seldom happens though. Very few players, especially cricketers from the Asian region make that decision, but I feel when Virat does it, he will do in a good way and probably end his career in style much like the way he began his career."
Reacting to Afridi’s comment, former India spinner Amit Mishra tweeted: "Dear Afridi, some people retire only once so please spare Virat Kohli from all this", taking a dig at the former Pakistan all-rounder for making his return to cricket after retirement on a few occasions.
During his 122-run knock in the Asia Cup Super-4 clash against Afghanistan, Virat Kohli also ended his much talked about century drought, which lasted 1020 days to be precise. The former India skipper has now equalled Ricky Ponting's tally of 71 international centuries and only Sachin Tendulkar (100) is ahead of him.
