'Virat going through lean patch for long time…': Syed Kirmani passes no nonsense verdict on Kohli's selection for T20 WC
India's 1983 World Cup winner Syed Kirmani said he has not seen a consistent player like Virat Kohli but is equally amazed with how difficult it is getting for him to come out of the lean patch.
Former India captain Virat Kohli has not been in the best of forms, and it has led to questions being raised regarding his place in the Indian team. The right-handed batter had an average outing in the latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and his lean patch continued in the ongoing tour of England. In the rescheduled Test and the T20Is, Kohli failed to create an impact with the bat and while many thought he could find some groove in the ODIs, the talismanic cricketer was sidelined due to a groin strain.
With the newcomers putting some scintillating show, voices are being raised from most corners highlighting the poor form of Kohli. Sharing his views on the same, India's 1983 World Cup winner Syed Kirmani said he has not seen a consistent player like Kohli but is equally amazed with how difficult it is getting for him to come out of the lean patch.
“I said when he (Virat Kohli) was scoring consistently, a prolific scorer. He has been successful in all the three formats. I said I have never seen such a consistent player during my era,” the ex-India wicketkeeper noted during a chat with Sports Yaari.
“And him going through a lean patch for such a long time is something I had not imagined. Such a world class batsman cannot be in such a bad form,” he added.
With the T20 World Cup now just months away, Kirmani also passed his verdict on Kohli and stated that the former India captain “needs to be selected” in the team.
“But he needs to be selected in the World Cup because he's a role model, very aggressive, motivational and the team needs such experienced players. Because it should be a blend between youth and experience so that the youngsters get to learn while communicating,” he added.
