'Virat should've played. Even Rohit, SKY don't score in every game, but...': Former player's blunt take on Kohli's rest

With the World T20 less than three months away, Kohli's wretched run remains a hot topic of debate.

Virat Kohli's recent batting slump has been a subject of concern among cricketers and fans. In England, the star batter could manage just 11 and 20 in the Edgbaston Test, which was followed by a mediocre showing in the limited-overs series as well. He scored only 12 runs in two Twenty20s and perished for 17 and 16 in the 50-over assignment. With the World T20 less than three months away, Kohli's wretched run remains a hot topic of debate.

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav

Kohli's lean patch has led to calls for his ouster from the T20 World Cup team, with even the legendary Kapil Dev backing his exclusion. However, many former players, believe that Kohli getting a break would help him rediscover lost mojo.

Kohli has been rested for the ongoing limited-overs series against West Indies and he will also miss the upcoming 50-over contest in Zimbabwe. Former India player Aakash Chopra feels Kohli should have played at least one game in West Indies, as game time perhaps would have worked in his favour.

“The problem is that you need to remind people of Virat’s numbers. This is because he has played very little and missed more games of late. Even Rohit and Suryakumar won’t score in every game. But since they play continuously, we remember the good knocks that they played. Virat walks into the team no doubt, but he should have played at least the ODIs or T20Is against the West Indies,” Chopra told sports presenter Jatin Sapru on his YouTube channel.

Kohli's failure to score a century since November 2019 even had Sunil Gavaskar offering help to the out-of-form cricketer. The batting icon said he could help Kohli sort his batting woes, which include deliveries outside the off-stump line.

"If I had about 20 minutes with him, I would be able to tell him the things he might have to do. It might help him, I am not saying it will help him but it could, particularly with regards to that off-stump line," Gavaskar told India Today.

"Having been an opening batter, having been troubled by that line, there are certain things that you try and do."

As Kohli witnesses a nightmarish dip in form, he has also received support from many players including Babar Azam, Kevin Pietersen and Shoaib Akhtar. Current skipper Rohit Sharma has also backed his predecessor to bounce back strongly.

"It goes back to the fact that his first mistake turns out to be his last. Again, just because he is not amongst the runs, there is this anxiety to play at every delivery because that is what batters feel, they have got to score," Gavaskar added.

"You look to play at deliveries that you otherwise won't. But he has gotten out to good deliveries as well on this particular tour."