"Shouldn't Think About What Lies Ahead": Pakistan Great's Advice For Virat Kohli

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan feels star India batter Virat Kohli can regain his lost form during the upcoming Asia Cup. Kohli, who has not scored a century in nearly three years, has struggled to score runs of late. The former India captain was rested for the series against West Indies and Zimbabwe, respectively. Ahead of India's opening game against arch-rivals Pakistan, Younis said that Kohli should go back to his basics and play for the team, instead of thinking about the future.

"Several players have gone through extended phases of lean patches in their international careers. They have been short of runs and without enough good performances. You tend to feel as if maybe this could be your last game or last series," Younis told Telegraph India.

"I too have gone through such phases. But I had adopted a simple formula - I went back to my basics. I feel Virat too should not think about what lies ahead. He should go back to his basics and play according to the situation, play for the team, and then, with the little bit of energy that is left, he can utilise it to play for himself. He needs to develop this mindset of trying to focus on the present and not looking back at the past, and then look to fight for his team," the former Pakistan captain added.

Younis, who is Pakistan's all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket (10,099), was also confident that Kohli could be the standout performer for the team during the tournament.

"Babar's performance is there for all to see. In all formats, he's coming across as a standout performer. Not to say that Kohli hasn't performed though. Parr jin performances ke liye woh mashhoor hain, woh unke taraf se nahi aa rahein hain recent past meh (But the performances that have made him a distinguished player haven't been coming in the recent past).

"That said, form is a matter of just one or two matches. I feel in this Asia Cup, Virat will be again coming across as a standout batsman. The stage is set for him. With the performances he has put up against Pakistan in the past, I feel he will be able to replicate that in this Asia Cup," he added.

India will take on Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, August 28.

Topics mentioned in this article

Cricket Virat Kohli Younis Khan