'Every innings is going to pile up pressure. If he had played those T20s...': Ex-India batter questions Kohli's rest

Virat Kohli had another poor outing in the Lord's ODI, scoring 16, although he looked in good touch for those runs.

Virat Kohli finds himself in the worst spell of sustained bad form in his career, struggling for runs and failing to create a positive impact in the matches he is participating in. It is something which has caused huge debate amongst fans and followers of Indian cricket, regarding what Kohli's role should be in coming months with two World Cups and a World Test Championship in the next year and a half.

India's Virat Kohli  (Action Images via Reuters)

Further fuel was added to the fire as Kohli was left out of the squad for the 5-match T20I series in the West Indies later this month. While the official line is that he is being tested, many believe that he needs to have more regular matches under his belt if he wants to get back to form.

One such argument comes from former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Jaffer said, "Every innings is going to pile up pressure on him and probably put doubts in him as well. People keep reminding him. I am sure it adds up on him. If he had played those T20s, he would have been in touch. I don’t know if this break will help him. Next innings (Manchester ODI) will be very crucial for him."

Kohli had another poor outing in the Lord's ODI, scoring 16, although he looked in good touch for those runs. With the likes of Deepak Hooda and Shreyas Iyer on his heels, Kohli will certainly be feeling the pressure to perform.

Former England spinner Ashley Giles disagreed with Jaffer, providing a different perspective on how this break could be beneficial for Kohli, looking forward. “He’s clearly struggling right now. He’s taking a break from that West Indies series and I think it’s the right thing," said Giles. "The schedules currently are quite crazy for most teams in the world, particularly for India, England. It’s good management. Rahul Dravid is a bright individual and you have got to look after your best players."

Along with Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah is the other major player rested from the series in the Caribbean. The two are showing contrasting form in their fields, but Bumrah does have a taxing schedule as India's premier all-format bowler. For Kohli, who does star in all three formats, it's becoming a matter of ensuring he can keep his place and deliver when called upon.

India will travel to Manchester for the decisive match of their three-game series against England. While the team ticked all the boxes at the Oval, Lord's saw a weak batting performance. Kohli is at the heart of India performing well in this format, and all fans will be hoping he can find a touch of the old Kohli on Sunday, and keep it with him going forward.