Despite scoring a swashbuckling century against Ireland and a quickfire 33 against England and another fifty in a warm-up match against Derbyshire in between, Deepak Hooda has been warming the benches as he was replaced by Virat Kohli. The former India captain came back into the side for a final couple of games against England and the Indian team management had no choice but to drop Hooda.

Virat Kohli has not been at his best in any format for the last couple of years. To be fair to the modern-day great, he was looking to adapt to India’s new attacking style of cricket in the England series but just didn’t succeed. He was dismissed at 1 trying to play an ugly heave to a Richard Gleeson delivery way outside the off-stump in the second T20I. In the final T20I as well, he failed to do much. 

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With players like Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan waiting in the wings, former India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla thinks Virat Kohli will get back his form by the T20 World Cup in Australia for sure.

During a recent chat with ESPNCricinfo, Piyush Chawla said, “Kohli is somebody who’s got a great record. You don’t always go on the present form because that can happen to anyone. And Kohli is just one good innings away. Hooda has just played 3-4 games at the international level and when you are walking into a tournament like you need experience. You can’t say it’s Kohli vs Hooda. Kohli is someone who walks into your playing XI straightaway.”

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Virat Kohli missed the first ODI against England due to a groin injury and it seems very unlikely that he will be taking any further part in the ODIs, especially after multiple reports suggested that he is likely to be ‘rested’ from the West Indies T20Is. He is already not a part of the ODI series.