Former Indian skipper, Virat Kohli witnessed his worst season in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he scored runs at an average of 22.73, his lowest since the 2010 season. The star batter also recorded three golden ducks – a rare sight for someone of his caliber. He will be facing a stiff challenge in England, especially at a stage when his form with the bat has been dodgy.
The last time Virat Kohli scored a century in international cricket was in November of 2019 – more than two years ago. His slump in form has led to many former cricketers including Ravi Shastri saying the batter should take a break to perhaps freshen up his mind. But former Indian opener, Virender Sehwag has come in support of Kohli to score big in the rescheduled Test, beginning July 1.
During a chat on Sony Sports, Virender Sehwag said, “Do you remember when was the last time Kohli scored a century? Even I don’t remember. He would definitely want to score big in this Edgbaston Test which is the series decider.”
ALSO READ: Joe Root Handed Over A Stump To Daryl Mitchell Afte England Won The Series
He further added, “I think his bad days are over. Ab lagta hai behtar din ayenge (I think now his better days will come) and they have already started. He scored fifty in both the innings.” (Kohli scored a fifty in the 2nd innings and he scored 33 runs in the first innings.”
Virat Kohli has been a sure-shot match-winner for Team India over the years, however, his form in the last couple of years or so hasn’t been up to the mark. As Virender Sehwag picks his top order for team India, he makes an exclusion in the form of Virat Kohli. He picked Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, and Rohit Sharma for the T20 World Cup.
Virender Sehwag explained, “India has options aplenty when it comes to hard hitters in T20s. However, I would personally vouch for Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and KL Rahul as the top three batters for the World Cup in Australia. The right-hand and left-hand combination of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, or for that matter, Ishan and KL Rahul could be quite interesting for the World T20.”
WATCH – Sam Billings Takes An Unbelievable Catch Between His Legs
Virat Kohli was rested for the home T20I series against South Africa, which ended in a 2-2 draw. He has failed to score a century in more than 100 games across the formats. But the 33-year-old Indian showed his batting prowess in the four-day warm-up game against Leicestershire. He hit 33 runs in the first innings and 67 in the second.
The upcoming fifth Test was originally scheduled to be played last September at Old Trafford in Manchester, but it was postponed after few members of the Indian contingent tested positive for coronavirus. India leads 2-1 after four games and can win their first Test series in England since 2007 if they avoid defeat.
