Virender Sehwag says Virat Kohli ‘retired early’, could play for ‘2 more years’: ‘He will leave 90% of players behind’
Virender Sehwag explained that he thought Kohli had a couple years left to give, especially given his fitness regimen and focus on staying healthy.
Virat Kohli’s Test retirement continues to be the major talking pointing global cricket. The Indian all-time-great called time on his career after 123 Test matches, falling just short of that all-important 10,000-run barrier that would have placed him in select company amongst three other Indian batters.
While Kohli has suffered a serious downtick in the levels he can hit and the consistency he brings to the table, he was still seen as a crucial part of the Indian unit. In fact, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag explained how Kohli was vastly different to most cricketers of his generation, and ho was surprised not to see that translate to an extended career in red ball cricket.
Speaking on Cricbuzz ahead of RCB’s rained out match against KKR, Sehwag laid out on the table why Kohli is so highly regarded by his peers.
“His hunger for runs is what makes him different, sets him apart. He follows his routine, his hard work, whether or not he’s making runs," explained Sehwag, who himself is one of the preeminent Test batters in Indian history.
Sehwag thinks Kohli still had more to give
Sehwag explained how on the training pitch, Kohli’s age isn’t a factor, as he can still physically perform with the best of the best. Kohli’s famous fitness drive was designed not only for peak physical performance, but also for longevity, which is why it surprises Sehwag that Kohli called his retirement early.
“He will leave 90% of players behind in fitness even at 36 years old. I would say because of that, he retired too early in Tests, he could comfortably have played 2 more years,” stated Sehwag.
While Kohli continues to show off his physical standards by being continuously intense when he does play, the last few years did make it seem like he was a step behind in terms of his batting technique. His loss of even a fraction of time meant his supernatural leading of length and reactions regressed just enough to re-emphasise an early-career weakness outside the off stump.
Kohli was meant to receive a felicitation with the Chinnaswamy Stadium crowd paying tribute to his career by dressing in white, but incessant rain meant Kohli and his fans will alike have to wait for that moment.
