'Virat Kohli doesn’t need Ranji' - Ambati Rayudu roots for veteran to find form on his own

Star India batter, Virat Kohli is struggling to get back to his form in the red-ball cricket. In the last nine innings, he has managed to score just 190 runs which included a century. As the Champions Trophy 2025 is looming around, he is in dire need of getting back to his usual self and delivering on the big stage. On the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s strict rule, he has arrived at the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 set marking the first of his appearance since 2012. 

It was a spectacle to behold as Virat donned a Delhi jersey and a whopping never-before 15,000 crowd for a Ranji game came to witness him in action. But the batter was undone on just six runs. With talks over his dipping form further escalating, former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu has urged the critics to leave the batter alone to find form on his own. He also discarded his need to play in the domestic tournament. 

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“Right now Virat Kohli doesn’t need Ranji. His technique was good for 81 hundreds and it will be good going forward as well. No one should force him into forcing himself for anything.He needs time to feel good about everything again.The spark within will ignite on its own. Basically respect and believe in him, most importantly leave him alone,” said Rayudu in his post on ‘X’. 

Here’s Rayudu’s latest post on ‘X’: 

In India’s last 50-over tournament, the 36-year-old was the Player of the Tournament as he contributed 765 runs from 11 matches as India lost the World Cup 2023 final to Australia. The team will be rooting for the former India skipper to come out of the lean patch and own the global stage. India will be commencing their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a game against Bangladesh on February 20.