Former India spinner and member of the IPL governing council, Pragyan Ojha has all but confirmed that Virat Kohli will mark his return from the Zimbabwe tour. Not only that, Ojha added that Kohli will not take any more breaks and will play all the series in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in October in Australia.
Kohli’s decision to take a rest from the ODI and T20I series in West Indies – giving himself a full one month after the end of the England tour till the Zimbabwe tour – was received with criticism and questions, compounded by his fatal form; Kohli didn’t score more than 20 in any of the 6 innings he batted in in England.
He is expected to mark his return on the tour of Zimbabwe, where India will play 3 ODIs on August 18, 20 and 22 before they fly out to the UAE for the Asia Cup starting August 27.
“By comeback I am talking about getting runs. Once a batter of his calibre gets a few runs going, then things change drastically. And I am sure as I am hearing that after the West Indies tour, he will be going for all the series thereon. I don’t think he will take any breaks, which is a great thing. He should be doing that,” Pragyan Ojha told journalist Jamie Alter on his chat show, The Alternate View.
Pointing out the example of England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who retired from ODI cricket citing fatigue of playing all three formats, Ojha opined that a player of the class and experience of Kohli needed the break.
“I don’t think there is an issue in his skill or anything else. He’s been batting brilliantly, but sometimes how you handle yourself mentally matters. Keep in mind the schedule. Look at Ben Stokes… he just said ‘boss, we’re not vehicles that you just put petrol and we start running’. At times his effects everybody,” he added.
Virat Kohli should have been there in the West Indies: Ojha
The 35-year-old former Mumbai Indians spinner pointed out that Virat Kohli had been playing almost non-stop cricket for two years in the bio-bubble and hence needed some rest to recuperate mentally.
Ojha, though, also admitted that Kohli should have toured West Indies as it gave him a good chance to get some runs against a non-threatening West Indies bowling attack.
“But I am saying that, Virat must play every chance he gets because if you don’t play how will you get the confidence? When you look at Virat’s batting, it is not about the skill or that he’s not timing it well or his fitness has taken a beating. He’s just there, and I think better than others with his work ethic and discipline. The only thing is that maybe mentally he’s a little caught up somewhere. Maybe that’s why he’s been regularly taking breaks.
“We have to understand that the last couple of years were very challenging with the bio bubbles and all, and you don’t know how it affects someone individually. What Virat has done for Indian cricket, he is getting the right kind of backing, but personally I feel that he should have been there in the West Indies because this was a great opportunity for him to make a comeback and get some great runs,” Ojha concluded on the topic.
