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Watch: Windies coach Simmons' stiff reply to Ponting's Kohli comment, passes verdict on ex-India captain taking rest
Reacting to Ponting's comment on Kohli, West Indies coach Phil Simmons had his say on ex-India captain's place in the Indian team and gave his verdict on the batter opting to rest through the limited-overs tour of West Indies.
Australia cricket legend Ricky Ponting's recent comment on former India captain Virat Kohli and his struggles with the bat has gone viral. Amid immense criticism over his batting and few veterans questioning his place in the Indian team, Ponting has gone against the tide to back Kohli, saying that he would continue to push the star batter because he knows the upside and that any opposition attack would breathe a sigh of relief if India decide to drop him. Reacting to the same, West Indies coach Phil Simmons had his say on Kohli's place in the Indian team and gave his verdict on the batter opting to rest through the limited-overs tour of West Indies. India vs West Indies 1st ODI Live Score
Kohli has not scored an international century in the last 78 innings which dates back to November 23 of 2019. In his last IPL season, he managed to hit at a strike rate of just 116, which was among the lowest. And on his return to international cricket after a break following IPL, Kohli managed to record a forgettable England tour. Yet, Ponting has backed the him.
When asked by senior sports journalist Vimal Kumar on Ponting's comment and how he would react had he been the coach of India, Simmons responded saying, "Well, I ain't the coach of the Indian team. Rahul (Dravid) will have to make that decision. He's there. If I was there I would think about it and how I would go about that job."
Kohli, along with six other players, which includes Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, will not be part of the West Indies tour as they have all been rested. However, the 33-year-old faced criticism once again for opting to rest amid his poor run of form with the bat.
Reacting to Kohli's absence, Simmons said, “I am not happy that people are not there because you want to play against the best players and we all know that Virat's record is says that he is one of the best of all-time. So yes I am disappointed and it would have nice had he been here. I'm sure all the guys would have loved the competition.”
“Criticisms are everywhere. I'm sure people want him to do well all the time and nobody can do things well all the time,” he added.
