Veteran India batter Virat Kohli is going through a lean patch with the bat for quite a while. His last international ton came in 2019 and now his place in the national side is being questioned as well.
In fact, there is a section of fans and experts who believe that Kohli doesn’t instill fear in the minds of bowlers anymore.
After an extended break from the game, Kohli is all set to return to action at the Asia Cup 2022, where India will open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on August 28 in Dubai.
Ahead of the marquee clash, Pakistan all-rounder Shadab attended a press conference, wherein he was asked if the comment "Virat Kohli doesn't instill fear in bowlers anymore" is true.
In reply, Shadab said former cricketers make such statements because they don't play anymore.
"They (the former cricketers) don't play anymore, that's why they think that he doesn't instil fear. He is a legend of the game, he has performed quite a lot. Whenever he comes, you are a bit scared because he is a big player. We don't want him to play a long innings against us,” he stated.
Shadab wants Kohli to return to his vintage best and even score a century, although not against Pakistan.
“I pray that he returns to how he was. He is performing good even now, but the standards that he has set.. they make it feel as if he is out of form. I personally wish that he scores a century; not against us, but against some team else in this tournament,” Shadab remarked.
Earlier this week, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra had said that Virat Kohli is no longer the player that he was three years ago, adding that the 'aura of invincibility' has gone and his presence in the middle doesn’t instill fear in bowlers’ minds anymore.
"There's no hiding from the fact that the bat that worked like a magic wand isn't obeying his commands anymore. There are more misses than hits. The aura of invincibility has faded and his presence doesn't instill the same fear in bowlers' minds as it used to earlier," Chopra wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.
