Former Pakistan middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf commented on the reason for the poor performance by Indian team captain Virat Kohli. The Indian team lost the Test and ODI series when they toured New Zealand earlier this year. Yousuf said that he felt the Indian skipper was fatigued at the end of the series due to playing high-level intensity cricket for so long without any break. Virat Kohli could only manage 218 runs in 11 innings across all formats, which is quite low by the standards set by the Indian team captain.
“Kohli looked a little fatigued. It can happen to anyone when you play so much cricket. That is why I agree in modern-day cricket fitness is paramount for players. In our days we could manage. But my belief is that if a player is not fit he just can’t give perform to his potential,” Yousuf said.
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The former Pakistan middle-order batsman expressed his thoughts and why he was not surprised to see the New Zealand team bouncing back against India after losing to them in T20’s. The Kiwis whitewashed India 3-0 in ODIs and were emerged victorious 0-2 in Tests after losing 5-0 to the Indian team in the T20 matches. He also says that the NZ team played better cricket than India and deserved to win.
“New Zealand has always been a tough side at home and they have only gotten better in recent years and don’t forget they have some top pace bowlers who are not easy to handle in their own conditions. New Zealand just played much better cricket than India and sometimes I feel there is so much cricket being played these days that it is inevitable that even the best players will get tired and fatigued at some stage,” he said
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Yousuf was a skeptic and analytical on the Pakistan team head coach and chief selector of Misbah Ul Haq’s decision to recall Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik. The duo was recalled for T20I matches against Bangladesh. Both the players justified their performances and scored a half-century each. Shoaib Malik hit 58 and remained unbeaten while Hafeez knock of 67 not out came in the second T20I.
“I just don’t understand why to give so much responsibility to one man and I don’t see any planning in the way Misbah is handling things. Why recall Hafeez and Malik when their records in places like Australia is clear. It is a step backward for Pakistan cricket,” the former commented.
