NEW DELHI : Since November 2019, Virat Kohli hasn't scored a century in international cricket and has been in a prolonged lean patch across all formats. With every low score coming off his bat, the debate on Kohli's poor form climbs up with the Men's T20 World Cup in Australia just three months away.
Now, legendary all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev feels that Kohli has still got a lot of cricket left in him and pointed out that the talismanic batter has to himself create a way for getting back amongst the runs.
"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," said Kapil to ABP News.
After the conclusion of England tour, Kohli will not be travelling to West Indies for three ODIs and five T20Is. Asked on whether Kohli has been dropped or rested, Kapil remarked, "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.
"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 signed off by pointing out that the cricketing world has been in the waiting for a long time for Kohli to get back to his scoring self. "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 (his) 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 (almost) two years for that." --- (IANS)