‘If Virat Kohli was an English…’: Graeme Swann's bold solution for out-form-form former India captain

Without those runs coming from his bat, it is becoming an increasingly difficult situation for Kohli, who has been replaced as captain in all formats. However, placing Kohli under such a microscope is the wrong thing to do, according to former England cricketer Graeme Swann.

Virat Kohli’s poor form has led to immense criticism from all corners of the cricketing world, with his selection over in-form batters such as Deepak Hooda becoming a real head-scratcher. This is not the first time Kohli has faced such criticism. At the start of his Test career, he recieved a lot of flak for not getting runs in the first couple of Tests in the Australia tour. He came back with a superb hundred. In 2014, James Anderson didn't let Kohli score a single fifty in the Test series. Kohli's answer was a run-spree in the Australia tour that followed. This time, however, he hasn't quite managed to do that yet. Without those runs coming from his bat, it is becoming an increasingly difficult situation for Kohli, who has been replaced as captain in all formats and is going through one of the leanest patches of his career. (India vs England 1st ODI Live Score)

India's Virat Kohli walks back to the pavilion after getting dismissed during the 3rd T20I match (ICC Twitter)

However, placing Kohli under such a microscope is the wrong thing to do, according to former England cricketer Graeme Swann, who now works as a commentator and pundit. Speaking on Sony Sports Network, Swann said: “Maybe when you have got a player as good as him, if he was English and I was in the English media, I would be saying hey, we need to ease up on him, we need to take pressure off our star asset so that he performs rather than putting more undue pressure on him.”

Much of the discussion surrounding the Indian cricket team has been focused on the form of Kohli, and how he hasn’t scored a century since 2019 — strange, for an individual with 70 international tons. However, this kind of media circus surrounding Kohli is more likely to hamper Kohli’s progress and performances than spur him on, argues Swann.

“As a player, you would feel the pressure from fans and fans have a job, that you can make it easier for your players or you can make it harder,” said Swann. “If you do not want Virat Kohli in your team anymore, by all means, keep on heaping the pressure or if you value the asset, then go easy on him.”

Ajay Jadeja, who was presenting with Swann, agreed: “You know what is the best of Kohli, at the moment you are probably getting the worst of Virat Kohli. He is only going to get better, I am with Swann, take the pressure off him rather than putting more on him.”

Kohli had a poor outing in the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston, before struggling in the T20I series as well. To make matters worse, he has been reportedly ruled out of the first match of the ODI series at the Kia Oval due to a groin strain sustained during the T20I at Trent Bridge. India would have been hoping that the kinder circumstances of an ODI match would help Kohli play himself into form, but will have to wait for that to come around.

They begin the series against England on Tuesday at the Oval, before staying in London for the second ODI of the series and then travelling to Manchester for the final match of the series.