'Kohli stepping down as India captain sucked a lot of energy out of him': Watson reacts to Shastri's 'overcooked' remark

Analysing Kohli's present form, former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson opined that Kohli's decision with India captaincy sucked out all the energy out of him.

Virat Kohli, through the course of his career, has been synonymous with records. Hailed as the run machine, when Kohli takes the field, record are meant to be broken and re-written, centuries or fifties are expected with each innings. But the modern-era great has reached the lowest point of his career as he recorded his second consecutive golden duck in his IPL career on Saturday against Sunrisers Hyderabad. And analysing his present form, former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson opined that Kohli's decision with India captaincy sucked out all the energy out of him. (IPL 2022 FULL COVERAGE)

Virat Kohli; Shane Watson

Speaking to The Grade Cricketer, Watson, who is presently an assistant coach of Delhi Capitals, recalled the match against RCB earlier last week, where he felt that Kohli was a bit off than usual. He however hailed him as “superhuman” for being actively involved in the sport, and with the same level of intensity, and not missing a single game of cricket.

Watch: How Virat Kohli reacted after getting out for 2nd straight golden duck, Twitter says ‘can’t see him like this’

“In the last game, when Delhi Capitals played against them, there was something tiny bit different with Virat. Because I have seen him before, I have played against him and with him for a couple of seasons at RCB. And it looked like his energy was bit different, a bit off. The thing with Virat is that he is always so amped every time he goes out to bat or he is in the field. He is a Superhuman what he has been able to do so far and sustained for such a long period of time, he's a freaking nature with the intensities he's able to continue to keep up his game,” he said.

“And in the other night, it was just the other night I felt his battery was just a tiny bit off. In the end, he is human, even though everything he has done is just about he's superhuman and with the intensity he has been able to take to every single game but at some stage and it wouldn't surprise me if was...you know around the Indian stuff or him stepping down as captain and that's gonna suck a lot of energy out of him because I know how much it meant to him.

“Whatever went on there would have been a big call for him to step down as captain for India. So at some stage it is going to take a toll in a little way. If he gets into a battle on the field, he'll find that energy it straight away because that's the type of batsman he is and type of person he is. He's always up for a battle. He'll find it, you won't take him long with batting," he added.

Watson's response came against former India coach Ravi Shastri's “overcooked” remark. The former India all-rounder had opined, after Kohli's golden duck against Lucknow Super Giants, that he needs some rest.