"How Many Matches Will Virat Kohli Score In?" Gautam Gambhir Grilled After ODI Series Loss
It's 2026, and all of India once again had its eyes on the 37-year-old Virat Kohli to deliver a match-winning knock on Sunday against New Zealand in Indore.
It's 2026, and all of India once again had its eyes on the 37-year-old Virat Kohli to deliver a match-winning knock on Sunday against New Zealand in Indore. Living up to expectations, the right-handed batter hammered 124 runs while chasing 338, but could not take India across the finish line. The biggest reason for India's defeat was that Kohli was fighting a lone battle, receiving only brief support from Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, both of whom scored half-centuries.
The loss handed India a 1-2 defeat in the three-match ODI series against the Kiwis, marking New Zealand's first-ever ODI series win in India. It was a collective failure as skipper Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul could not play substantial innings to support Kohli.
After the defeat, former India batter Krishnamachari Srikkanth sympathised with Kohli for his never-give-up attitude, but also criticised senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for his lack of enthusiasm.
"Ravindra Jadeja was the silent killer in the 2023 World Cup. It is true that he doesn't seem to have the same enthusiasm he had during that tournament. But even Kuldeep Yadav is being taken to the cleaners. I feel pity for Virat Kohli. How many matches will he score in? If only Kohli has to score, how many matches can India win that way?" Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
"India are depending on one person to win matches. In all fairness, New Zealand are not a great bowling side. But look at how well Jayden Lennox bowled-10 overs, 42 runs and two crucial wickets. Foulkes was expensive but took wickets. Kyle Jamieson bowled a deadly delivery to dismiss Shubman Gill. Kristian Clarke is bowling well too. It's a third-string attack," he added.
Notably, Jadeja had a forgettable outing in the ODIs against New Zealand. In the third match, he conceded 41 runs in six overs without taking a wicket. With the bat, scores of 4, 27, and 12 have raised serious questions about his future in the ODI team.
India Cricket Team
New Zealand Cricket Team
Virat Kohli
Ravindra Jadeja