"If You Leave Virat Out...": Ricky Ponting On Why "It Will Be Hard" For Kohli To Get Back In
Virat is battling a lean patch and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has now commented on it
Should Virat Kohli play in the T20 World Cup for the Indian cricket team or not? The former India skipper's lean patch has raised this question which was unthinkable in Indian cricket at one point of time. He is without a ton Since November, 2019 and his recent performance in the Tour of England is also nothing worth-mentioning. IN this scenario, Kohli has not been named in the ODI and T20I squads for India's upcoming Tour of West Indies. A certain section of cricket experts feel that Kohli, on current form, is not an automatic choice for the T20 World Cup.
Now, former Australian cricket team captain Ricky Ponting, while speaking on The ICC Review, has commented on the issue.
"If you leave Virat out of the eve of the World Cup, and someone comes in and has a reasonable tournament, it will be hard for Virat to get back in it," Ponting said.
"If I was India, I will keep pushing with him, because I know the upside. If they actually get him back confident and playing as well as he can, that upside is better than most. So I think if I was a captain or a coach around the Indian set up, I will be making life as easy as possible for him to feel as comfortable as possible, and just wait for him to flick the switch and start scoring runs again."
Ponting, who led Australia to two World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007, said Kohli can still make an impact.
"I think if I was an opposition captain or an opposition player, I will be fearing playing an Indian team that has Virat Kohli in it, more than I would be one that doesn't have him in it," Ponting noted.
"I know there have been some challenges for him, it's been a difficult time. But every great player that I have seen in this game has been through it at some stage, whether that's a batsman or a bowler, they have all been through it.
"And somehow, the best (players) find a way to rebound and respond, and it's only a matter of time before Virat does that."
Virat Kohli
India Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team