Royal Challengers Bangalore batter Virat Kohli is going through a lean patch in the ongoing IPL season as is visible in his scores. The batter was dismissed for a golden duck in the games against Lucknow Super Giants and SunRisers Hyderabad, and could only muster a score of 9 against Rajasthan Royals. He has just managed 128 runs in nine games. Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has some advice for the tottering player, “I think a break is ideal for him because he has played non-stop cricket and he has captained the side across all formats. It will be wise of him to take a break”.
“Sometimes you have to draw the balance. This year he is already into the tournament (IPL 2022), tomorrow if push comes to shove and you want to prolong your international career and make a mark there for 6-7 years, pull out of the IPL, for all you care,” Shastri said on Jatin Sapru’s YouTube channel.
“Not only Virat, I’ll tell that to any other player. If you want to play and do well for India, you have to draw the line where you want to take that break and the ideal break would be off-season where India is not playing and the only time India does not play is the IPL,” he said.
“Sometimes, you need to do that or tell the franchise I’ll only play the half. Pay me half, as simple as that. Those tough calls need to come if you want to reach the zenith of your profession as an international player,” he added.
“Virat is still young and he has best 5-6 years ahead of him. He would have realised what he has gone through in these last few months. He knows he has to go back to the drawing board, how he thinks, how he approaches and he has to literally start from scratch. There have been many players in the past who have gone through this,” he said. You mentioned first ball out, to be honest, from the outside I would not be worried. As a player if I have gotten out first ball, I have hardly been in. It is when you get in and throw it away, that is more disappointing. When he gets in, it is up to him to make it count,” said Shastri.
Kohli’s last international ton came way back in 2019 against Bangladesh in a day-night Test.
