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'Virat Kohli needs a sabbatical': Former England captain struggling India great needs to be away for 'three months'
Virat Kohli fell for 11 and 20 runs in the Edgbaston Test and later fell out of the top of the ICC Test rankings for the first time in six years.
Virat Kohli's poor form in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) had led to the likes of former head coach Ravi Shastri stating that the former India captain needs a lengthy break from the game. Kohli was then rested for India's five-match T20I series against South Africa before returning for the postponed fifth Test in England but his poor returns with the bat in that game has led to suggestions that he may need a sabbatical crop up again.
Kohli fell for 11 in the first innings in Edgbaston and then a quickfire 20 off 40 balls in the second innings. It has to be noted however, that he had fallen in an unusual manner in both innings. The ball deflected off his bat as he made a late decision to leave in the first innings and crashing on to the stumps in the first innings and it reared off a length from Ben Stokes in the second, leading to Kohli gloving it behind to the wicketkeeper.
“I look at Virat in particular, I know he got some rest after the IPL but, he just looks to me like he needs a sabbatical. He needs three months away from cricket. Go sit on the beach, do what you can with your family and then come back," former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz. "In a career of 20 years, which he will probably end up getting because he is such a good player, to have a three-month break, is it going to affect him? No. Will it help him? Yes.”
Vaughan said that with the increasingly tight schedules of big teams like England, India and Australia, team managements will have to be smart with how they handle their star players who play all formats.
“I look at a lot of other players. Jos Buttler, England may look to bring him into the Test team. Talented and very aggressive, at the top of the order he could be a very exciting player to watch. But to play all the formats, the IPL and captain the England white ball teams is a tough ask. So I think clever management is required,” said Vaughan.
“It's not going to go away, these situations are not a one off. It is going to be a common trend. Just two weeks ago, England were playing in the Netherlands while the Test team was playing at Headingley.”
