Former India coach Ravi Shastri has opined that the former skipper, Virat Kohli is just a knock away from getting his form back and chatter around his form will end if the star batter manages to hit a fifty in the first match of the Asia Cup 2022. Kohli will return to competitive cricket after a five-week break when India will be locking horns with the arch-rival Pakistan in their opening fixture of the Asia Cup T20 tournament on August 28. 

After that England tour, Virat Kohli took a break from cricket, missing India’s tours of the West Indies and Zimbabwe. The former India captain’s current form in international cricket has been quite concerning, as a lot of questions being asked about his spot in the T20I format.

During a press arranged by Star Sports, Ravi Shastri said, “I haven’t spoken to Virat Kohli recently but the ‘big guys’ always wake up at the right time. The downtime for Kohli was good before the Asia Cup gave him a good chance to reflect. If he manages to get a fifty in the match against Pakistan, some mouths will be shut. He needs one innings to get back because the hunger is undiminished. What’s happened in the past is history.”

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He further explained, “Remember public memory is very short. There is no Indian cricketer who is fitter than Kohli. He’s a machine and if he manages to get his mind right, for him it is a matter of just 1 innings to come back into form.”

Virat Kohli had earlier said that spending time with his family and traveling has helped him unwind after hectic seasons in the professional sport. The former Indian skipper has taken breaks in between series in the ongoing calendar year, having played just 4 T20Is out of India’s 21 so far in the World Cup year.

Explaining the same, Ravi Shastri said, “Kohli is the fittest player in the Indian team and nobody can match Virat Kohli’s work ethic the way he trained. He is a machine. No question, he will definitely come back in his best form. His hunger and passion are unbelievable.”

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India’s opening match in the Asia Cup against Pakistan is the perfect opportunity for Kohli to get his form back as the star batter boasts a good record against Pakistan in T20I matches. In the seven games against Pakistan, he has scored 311 runs at an average of 77.75. He remained unbeaten on three occasions and hammered 35 fours and five sixes.