If I was India, I would keep pushing with him because I know the upside – Ricky Ponting on Virat Kohli’s form

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has shed light on the poor form of Virat Kohli. A lot of cricket experts like Kapil Dev had recently said that Kohli should be dropped but Ponting wants the Indian selectors to persist with the talisman batsman for the T20 World Cup.

Kohli hasn’t been in the best of forms in the recent past and he has been struggling to convert his starts into substantial scores. The right-hander had a ho-hum tour of England as he could not deliver the goods for the team in the rescheduled Test and the limited-overs leg.

Ponting believes every player goes through a rough patch in his career and Kohli is also going through the same. However, Ponting has put his weight behind Virat Kohli and feels it is a matter of time before the right-hander will get back to his best. Ponting said if he was the opposition captain, he will be fearing an Indian team that has Virat Kohli.

“I think if I was an opposition captain or an opposition player, I will be fearing playing an Indian team that has Virat Kohli in it, more than I would be one that doesn’t have him in it,” Ponting said. “I know there have been some challenges for him, it’s been a difficult time. But every great player that I have seen in this game has been through it at some stage, whether that’s a batsman or a bowler, they have all been through it. And somehow, the best find a way to rebound and respond, and it’s only a matter of time before Virat does that.”

Former Australia skipper, who led the team to two World Cup titles during his stint as captain, added that it would be difficult for Kohli to get back into the team after he is dropped from the World Cup squad if the player who replaces him has a reasonable tournament.

“The other thing you risk as well is, if you leave Virat out on the eve of a T20 World Cup, and someone comes in and has a reasonable tournament, it will be hard for Virat to get back in it,” Ponting said. “If I was India, I would keep pushing with him, because I know the upside. If they actually get him back confident and playing as well as he can, that upside is better than most. So I think if I was a captain or a coach around the Indian setup, I’d be making life as easy as possible for him to feel as comfortable as possible, and just wait for him to flick the switch and start scoring runs again.”

Kohli has been rested for the West Indies tour and he would be determined to make a solid comeback before the T20 World Cup. The experienced batter is a vital cog for the Indian team as he has been a consistent performer over the years.

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers India's prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Pro Kabbadi League, Cricket World Cup and many more. Follow DafaNews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,Telegram and Youtube for more updates.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

Mohammad Kaif lauds Suryakumar Yadav, says he is a proper replacement for Rohit Sharma amid Asia Cup

Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif showered praise on Suryakumar Yadav and said he is a… Read More

September 22, 2025

Parthiv Patel opens up on Shreyas Iyer’s chances on being picked for Test series against West Indies

Former Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel reckons Shreyas Iyer’s chances of being picked for the two-match… Read More

September 22, 2025

Aakash Chopra says Yashasvi Jaiswal’s absence from India’s white-ball teams is injustice

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra said Yashasvi Jaiswal is a three-format player and his… Read More

September 19, 2025

Washington Sundar credits Ashish Nehra for impactful performance in ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

India’s all-rounder Washington Sundar gave credit to Ashish Nehra for his impressive performance in the… Read More

September 19, 2025

Ajay Jadeja credits Rohit Sharma for Abhishek Sharma’s fearless batting approach in Asia Cup 2025

Former Indian batter Ajay Jadeja has given credit to ODI captain Rohit Sharma for Abhishek… Read More

September 18, 2025

Washington Sundar recalls father’s message that helped him during IPL debut

Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar has recalled how his father’s message helped him during IPL debut… Read More

September 18, 2025