Former India coach Ravi Shastri has revealed that a particular stat about Virat Kohli that emerged during the rearranged Test match against England shocked him.
Kohli’s form in international cricket has come under scrutiny recently, with many even questioning his spot in the T20I team for the upcoming World Cup in Australia.
Speaking in a press conference organised by Star Sports, as quoted by Hindustan Times, Shastri said that he was shocked when he came to know that the 33-year-old star batter had played three times the number of games as compared to the likes of David Warner, Kane Williamson, Babar Azam and Joe Root.
The former India coach also said that he hopes that the rest afforded to Kohli will help him regain his form.
“Sometimes, it is important that when we talk about this rest and all that. Later on, you realise that when you are back in the media, you are doing all television, people come out with star. One stat that emerged during a Test match against England, which shocked me, really. It said that in the last three years, when you look at the top players in the world, that is [Kane] Williamson, David Warner, Babar Azam, Virat Kohli and Joe Root, Virat had played three times the number of games as everyone else across all cricket.”
“So it shocked me where he was at about 950 games and that next was at 400. They had played less than half. When you are captain of a side, playing all three formats, it takes a toll. And it would have sucked whatever out of him. And that’s why the break might just help him come around and do wonders,” said Shastri.
The former India coach also said that Kohli must have learned a lot from the rough patch he is going through at the moment.
“People keep saying… it’s often used that one or two innings can make a difference. But with a player like this, it can make a massive difference because he has got the fitness, he has got the physical strength. Performance will get the mental strength back and the hunger and passion remain undiminished. Let me assure you that.”
“He is hungry, passionate and must have learned from this patch that he has gone through. All players do. When you are suddenly on the rise right at the pinnacle of your career and then have a slump which brings you right down, then it’s your character that makes you get up and stand and fight again,” said Shastri.
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