Virat Kohli is likely to tour Zimbabwe for the ODI bilateral series scheduled for next month as the selectors reportedly feel that this tour will help the star batsman regain his form.
Calls of dropping Kohli from India’s eleven have grown significantly following his disastrous tour of England where he managed scores of 11 and 20 in the Edgbaston Test, 1 and 11 in T20Is, and 16 and 17 in ODIs – a total of 76 runs in 6 innings at an average of 12.66.
This has carried on from a disappointing IPL 2022 season where he averaged 22 and scored at a strike rate of 115. Furthermore, his century drought keeps on lengthening with the last of his 70 international tons coming in November 2019.
Virat Kohli hasn’t a century in 79 international innings
Kohli has already taken a rest from the entire West Indies tour – where India will play 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is – clearing up for a month-long break and is reportedly travelling to Paris for a vacation with his family
India will play 3 ODIs in Zimbabwe on August 18, 20 and 22 ahead of the Asia Cup which will tentatively begin on August 27. The selectors have already decided to send a second-string squad sans the all-format players to Zimbabwe, but are pondering over selecting Virat Kohli in this squad with the belief that Kohli may get back amongst runs.
“Hopefully, the break allows him to rejuvenate mentally and get his form back. But without any competitive cricket, it will be difficult and that is why we want him to play against Zimbabwe. It’s his preferred format and will help him regain his form before the Asia Cup. We will take a final decision close to the selection,” a member of the selection committee told InsideSport.
Virat Kohli last played against Zimbabwe at the 2015 World Cup and toured the country for a bilateral series in 2013.
Now, if playing against Zimbabwe could help him get a big score to boost his confidence, but be that as it may, it sparked a flurry of funny memes and trolling on Twitter from fans.
Here are some of the tweets trolling Kohli on reports of his selection for the Zimbabwe tour:
Virat Kohli might go on Zimbabwe tour
Zimbabwe cricket board : pic.twitter.com/1skRYD6bFr
— Savage (@arcomedys) July 20, 2022
Kohli fans call Babar as Zimbabar, now his idol has to play Zimbabwe to bring back the form
— , (@kurkureter) July 19, 2022
Scenes if Kohli’s long-awaited 71st comes against Zimbabwe like Sachin’s 100th against Bangladesh!
https://t.co/7VBPHsIEXE
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) July 19, 2022
Virat Kohli should be strongly considered for the ODI series against Zimbabwe.
He has been rested for the WI tour, a 40-day break before playing a crunch encounter against PAK wouldn’t help much.
This is a brilliant chance to score his 71st.#CricketTwitter #ENGvsIND
— Nirmit Mehta (@NirmitMehta10) July 17, 2022
India have announced a tour of Zimbabwe in an effort to save Kohli’s career
— Dennis (@DennisCricket_) July 7, 2022
Just imagine Virat Kohli playing against Zimbabwe and getting out against offside ball.
— Angry Munda (@angrybandi) July 19, 2022
Send Kohli to West Indies and Zimbabwe or bloody arrange a series with Namibia.. let him score some runs and gain his form. Resting him will not help
— Navaldeep Singh (@NavalGeekSingh) July 14, 2022
kohli should play against zimbabwe just to score that hundred and lift the curse off
— Tabrez (@tabrezdont) July 17, 2022
If Virat Kohli finally scores a century against Zimbabwe then so called “Cricket Experts” will be like what’s special it’s against Zimbabwe.
— Three Stumps Two Bails (@analysisfigure) July 20, 2022
Should Kohli be playing Zimbabwe ODIs in August
What if he scores a Century there?
Will he be called Zimbabli?
— Mr.Henderson
(@Vijay_Kohli__18) So kohli will play against Zimbabwe particularly to score century? @Abhinandan673 @pune109
— Rajasree Smudgephilic (@gabba141notout) July 20, 2022
Virat kohli to play ind vs Zimbabwe sound interesting
— Anant Patel
(@Anant_Patel_) 