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Cricket Players'Those who played 1-2 matches are giving opinions on him. I can only laugh': Ex-Pakistan star's staunch defence of Kohli
The former Pakistan wicketkeeper spoke in detail about Virat Kohli's rough patch with the bat, insisting that a player is his own coach and the India star will have to figure it out on his own.
One of the primary concerns in the Indian team has been the form of Virat Kohli. The former India captain couldn't go past the 20-run mark in any of his six innings across all three formats on the tour of England, adding to the worries among fans and former cricketers after Kohli endured a poor outing in the 2022 Indian Premier League. While former India captain Kapil Dev had indicated that no player is safe in the team, many came in support of Kohli as he goes through a rough patch.
On Tuesday, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal spoke in detail about the India star, insisting that people should leave it on Kohli himself to figure out the problems in his batting.
“He's a different player altogether. Everyone goes through these phases. Some players endure it for a brief period, some go through it for long,” Akmal said on paktv.tv.
“He only needs one big innings. His belief, his passion for the game, makes him stand apart. Do you think that a player who has 70 centuries will listen to those asking for his ouster from the side? People who have played 1-2 matches are now giving opinions on him. I can only laugh," said Akmal further.
The former Pakistan wicketkeeper, who represented the side in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs, and 58 T20Is, insisted that it is important for Kohli to remain positive.
“Footwork, bat swing, head position, shoulder.. everything comes into place. A player figures all these things out on his own. You have to keep your mind positive. Think about what you did right in your past. There will be a lot of opinions but you got to keep focus intact. A player is his own coach,” said Akmal.
Virat Kohli will not feature in India's upcoming tour of the West Indies that features three ODIs and five T20Is, as he has been rested for the white-ball series. The former Indian captain is expected to make a return to the side in late August.
