‘Cheap Tactics Won’t Help’ Kiwi Legend Slams BCCI’s Plan To Revive Virat Kohli’s Career
After sitting out of the ODI series, the majority of senior India players are back on national duty as Rohit Sharma and his men gear up for the first encounter of a five-match T20I series against the West Indies.
However, one key name that’s missing from the T20I squad is the former India captain Virat Kohli, who is currently vacationing in Paris with his wife Anushka Sharma and daughter Vamika.
While announcing the squad, the selectors didn’t state the reason why the 33-year-old was not picked in the squad but multiple media reports have suggested that the batter had himself asked the selection panel to give him a break.
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After the West Indies tour, the Men in Blue will tour Zimbabwe for a three-match ODI series and, as per reports, the BCCI is keen on sending the Delhi-born on to the African nation.
Kohli’s form has been a major cause of concern, especially with the T20 World Cup around the corner. If the Men in Blue need to avoid the disaster of last year, they need Kohli to perform at his optimum best and that is why the selectors are reportedly planning to send him to the African nation, where he could score some easy runs and regain his confidence.
But many experts believe scoring runs against a weaker opposition like Zimbabwe won’t do the Indian talisman any good.
Playing against a mediocre bowling line-up, he might score a cheap hundred but that won’t change things much going forward and it would still be a lose-lose situation for Kohli, believes former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris.
The Kiwi all-rounder clarified that he wasn’t against Kohli taking a break from cricket. In fact, he was all for him to take a “complete break” from the game for a while and come back all charged up whenever he was fully ready.
“I think it is a lose-lose for Kohli. I’d love to see him take a complete break from the game for a little while and come back. Ask the question as selectors and coach Rahul Dravid, I think he’s got a big part to plan as to how much preparation time you need to be at a hundred per cent when the world cup starts and then work backwards from there and then build that schedule,” Styris said on Sports18 show ‘Sports Over The Top’.
“So yeah, Zimbabwe, I’d forget about it because I don’t necessarily think there’s a lot to gain from him. He might score a cheap hundred, which goes great for the confidence but doesn’t necessarily change too much moving forward because I still believe he’s the key man for India,” he added.
The selectors are aware that Kohli is a vital cog for Team India and they are trying their best to get him back to form. One could say that scoring runs against a weak opposition might not solve his issues but, given his recent struggles, perhaps this is what Kohli needs at the moment.
