"Emotional Hits Affect People": Ex-Pakistan Captain Weighs In On Virat Kohli's Poor Form In IPL 2022

Virat Kohli has been suffering a poor run of form for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, with the star batter getting out for two consecutive golden ducks and then making only 9 in his last three outings. Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt said that the 33-year-old looks "overcooked" and needs a break. He went on to say that Kohli has been through a lot emotionally and those emotional hits do take a toll on people.

"I have been saying for a while that he's looking burned out, like he's overcooked. He needs a break. He has been through a lot emotionally," Butt said on his YouTube channel.

"Being the best player in the world, being the left, right and centre of Indian cricket with everything revolving around him, match-winner on his own, 70 centuries, success in Tests. And then life hits back at everyone. Everyone has their ups and downs. He gave up captaincy, he had a misunderstanding with the board, his form deteriorated, he faced some bad luck as well. It's a life cycle that happens to everyone," he explained.

"I feel if he gets a break, he will be fine," he said.

"The type of player he is, he may present himself like an Iron Man, but emotional hits affect people. And this is an emotional, passionate man," Butt went on to say.

"We see when he plays how involved he is. And not just in his own game, but he celebrates his teammates success with equal aplomb. When a catch is dropped, whether by himself or someone else, he gets equally annoyed," he said.

"Only a guy who is so emotionally attached to the game can give the performances he gave. A normal guy can't. So when life hits you emotionally, you get affected. So this is one of those phases," he added.

Kohli will look to end his poor run of form in RCB's match against Gujarat Titans on Saturday.

Topics mentioned in this article

IPL 2022 Royal Challengers Bangalore Virat Kohli Salman Butt Cricket