Former India pacer Zaheer Khan has said that Virat Kohli will be expected to play the role of a mentor at this stage of his career.

Zaheer’s comment came ahead of the fifth day’s play in the second Test between India and West Indies in Port of Spain.

In what was his 500th international game, Kohli slammed his 29th Test century during India’s first innings at Queen’s Park Oval.

Speaking to Jio Cinema, Zaheer highlighted that the enjoyment factor is going to be crucial for Kohli while also adding that the weight of captaincy being off his shoulders will help him.

“Looking at that and looking at the space where Virat is in right now, you know that enjoyment factor is going to be huge. Keeping yourself fresh is something which is going to be very important for him going forward. But I think the fact that he doesn't have that time and energy going in right now after the other aspects of the game the captaincy brings, I think it is going to help him,” said Zaheer.

After enduring a brief slump, Kohli is back to scoring runs consistently. He also scored a half-century in the first Test against West Indies in Dominica.

“He's constantly involved in the game. I think that those aspects are going to be very important for him going forward. But it's good to see him in good space and scoring runs. And I think I think that's what he should just right now do,” Zaheer added.

Virat Kohli is among the senior-most players in the Indian squad studded with young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan.

Zaheer said Kohli is expected to fulfill the role of a mentor with an abundance of experience under his belt.

“He should enjoy this part of the career where he’s actually going to be guiding like of you know Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan. That mentor role is also going to be expected of him at this stage in his career that's something that he does it anyways but you know that that's something that keeps you going and keeps you in the game,” he remarked.