Former India captain Kapil Dev has reacted to Virat Kohli being not picked in the Indian squad for the upcoming five T20Is against West Indies. The BCCI announced an 18-member squad on Thursday, which also didn’t feature Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Umran Malik.
The BCCI did not give details for their absence but various media reports suggested that both the senior pros have been rested. Kapil, however, had a different take.
He had previously stated that 'if Ashwin can be dropped from Test matches then so can be Virat Kohli from T20Is', which sparked off a massive debate amongst the cricket fraternity and the fans on social media.
Now reacting to the news of Kohli being rested for the West Indies T20Is, Kapil said to ABP News: "I can't say a big player like Virat Kohli should be dropped. He is a very big player. If you have said that he has been rested to give him respect then there's no harm in that.”
Kohli had returned to India playing XI for the second ODI after missing out on the first match due to groin injury but managed to score only 16 runs, before being caught by Jos Buttler off David Willey, as India lost the match by 100 runs chasing 247 to win.
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"The most important part is how to bring such a player back in form? He's not an ordinary cricketer. He should get more practice and play more matches to get his form back. I don't think there's any player in this world who is bigger than Kohli in T20s but when you are not doing well, the selectors can take their call. My thinking is that if anybody is not doing well then he can be rested or dropped," Kapil added.
Kapil said Kohli needs to find a way to score runs as great players like him shouldn't take this long to get back in form.
"It's not like India haven't played without Virat in the last five to six years, but I want such a player to be back in form. Yes, he's been dropped or rested but there's still a lot of cricket left in him. And he has to create the path for that. Maybe play Ranji Trophy or score runs anywhere. His confidence needs to be back. This is the difference between a great and a good player. A great player like him shouldn't take so much time to get back in form. He has to fight with himself and get things in order. Yes, it's a bit of a concern that he is taking so much time to get back in form, a great player doesn't take this long.
"I don't have any problems if he is dropped or rested but I want him to get back in form. One innings can change a great player's fortune but when will that come, we don't know. We are waiting for two years for that," he added.
Kohli will be seen in action when India takes on England in the third and final ODI at Manchester on Sunday, July 17.
(ABP News inputs)
