Cricket needs Virat Kohli and the best advice he can get is from within

Sports is a great leveler and nothing is more powerful than time! Virat Kohli’s lean patch has certainly taught the world these two things. The man, who notched up four centuries in IPL 2016, has bagged two successive golden ducks in the ongoing 2022 edition. The man, who smashed 36 international centuries between 2016 and 2019, hasn’t touched the three-figure mark since 2.5 years. While many are waiting for the dawn, several are afraid it’s the dusk.

Now, what’s the reason behind this? Virat Kohli’s vulnerability outside the off-stump, his inability to get starts or the lack of hunger? The hunger to thrive, the hunger to demolish oppositions, and the massive appetite for runs. Where are these things that made Kohli a force to reckon with and a nightmare for bowlers? Remember when Kohli said he would leave cricket the time his zeal for the game is over.

“The motivation is just about winning. The day the passion ends, I will stop playing. I’ll never want to drag myself for more than my body can take,” Virat Kohli told Gaurav Kapur in an episode of Breakfast with Champions, which aired in 2017. Back then, the right-handed batter was in sensational form and was scoring runs for fun. However, runs have dried up now and what exists are questions, worries, and concerns.

Where did it start?

As mentioned above, Kohli’s last international century was recorded in November 2019. Three months later, the COVID-19 virus came in the picture, which brought the entire world to a standstill. Terms like isolation and quarantine gained popularity and even the perspective towards life was changed. After all, a pandemic wreaking havoc was a thing of new.

With prominent series and tournaments being cancelled, Virat Kohli, like most of the cricketers, was enjoying the off-time with his family. This was the longest he had been away from the on-field action after making his international debut. The 33-year-old had said that the off-time was a revelation for him as he discovered many things about himself.

“Honestly I didn’t miss the game as much as I thought I might. Maybe because I had been going on for 9-10 years before that, and this was the only break I was going to get. It was a revelation for me as well. It was surprising that my focus was not solely on how I’m missing the game all the time and just carrying on with life, and doing other things, and understanding this is just a part of life,” Kohli had said.

While Kohli returned to the field in September 2020 after the COVID hiatus, things haven’t fallen in place for him since then. The talismanic batter didn’t look at his usual best after returning, though he was playing handy knocks every now and then. He even led India to the 2021 World Test Championship final, where his side lost to New Zealand.

The Captaincy Saga

Kohli’s batting form garnered limelight during the Test series in England last year, where his old tendency of edging the ball outside the off-stump haunted him once again. Although India finished the inconclusive series with a 2-1 lead, Kohli slammed just 218 runs in seven outings with his average being just above 30. The Delhi-born batter was evidently getting affected by the workload and hence, he decided to shrug off some responsibilities from his shoulders.

He dropped a bombshell ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021, announcing he would step down as India’s T20I and RCB skipper to manage his workload. It was later known that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wasn’t on the same page with Kohli’s decision as the talismanic batter was shockingly sacked as ODI captain as well. The saga doesn’t end here. Following a 1-2 defeat in the series against South Africa, Kohli even stepped down as India’s Test captain.

It was the end of the era and the cricket world couldn’t digest the series of events within a span of a few months. It must be noted that Kohli, while relinquishing T20I captaincy in September 2021, made it crystal clear that he would continue leading the team in the other two formats. However, he took a U-turn on his decision a few months later and handed over the reins to Rohit Sharma across all formats.

Although Kohli didn’t come out and open up about his state of mind, it’s pretty understood that all these things have taken a toll on him. His performance has been affected by the same as well. Kohli’s tally of 119 runs is his lowest after the first eight games in an IPL season. The veteran’s disappointment was visible every time he endured a failure this season.

In fact, his walk back to the pavilion after his duck against Sunrisers Hyderabad was nothing but heartbreaking for the fans. His head was down as he walked in dismay.

Virat Kohli’s contribution to the game is beyond scoring runs

Yes, Kohli is going through a rough patch. Yes, runs have dried up for him and his criticism is justified as well. Any further failures can also see which fans have feared all this while, his ouster from the playing XI. Hence, this is a serious test of Kohli’s character and there’s a serious need for him to thrive this challenge. Not for just RCB, not just for Team India, but for the sake of the game.

Over the years, many batters have mustered a plethora of runs and walked away with accolades. However, not everyone brought revolution. This Delhi-born lad has inspired cricketers to hit the gym hard and there was a change in culture in the Indian team. He instilled confidence and fearlessness in the side as India became a formidable force in overseas Tests as well.

When Virat Kohli showed he can’t be messed with

Speaking of Kohli’s mental grit, remember his first match as India’s Test captain? As MS Dhoni was injured, he led the troop in the opening Test of India’s 2014/15 tour of Australia. Notably, Kohli’s previous assignment in the longest format of the game was the disastrous tour of England, which exposed his vulnerability against the moving ball. Hence, all eyes were on him.

In such a high-pressure game, the lethal Mitchell Johnson welcomed the Indian skipper with a bouncer which smashed his helmet. A few days before this game, Australian batter Phillip Hughes had passed away after a bouncer smashed his head. Hence, this welcome from Johnson would have taken aback many players. However, Kohli decided to match fire with fire.

He smashed not one but two centuries in the game as India came close to recording a historic win. Few years later, when India toured Australia, several former Aussie cricketers advised their countrymen to not sledge Kohli. Now, what can be a bigger irony than this! This shows what Virat Kohli has been over the years and why the game needs him.

Conclusion

The entire world has an opinion on Kohli’s form. While some reckon he needs a break, many believe a change in batting position might help him. However, out of all these experts, how many have 20,000 runs and 70 centuries in international cricket? It’s Kohli who has done all these wonders on the field and that too with astonishing consistency.

The point is we must let Virat Kohli be Virat Kohli and allow him to unleash the best out of him. It was his decision to drive a fitness revolution, not that someone forced him. No one forced him to break records for fun, no one forced him to score one century after another. Hence, as the great man is going through a rough patch, let’s allow him to introspect and understand what’s the best for him!