3 reasons why Virat Kohli needs a break
Former Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri had some wise words for Virat Kohli:
"He realizes he is 33, he realizes he has five years of good cricket ahead of him. If he can calm down, focus on his batting, take one game at a time, probably take a break from the game as well. I think if he sits out for two or three months or takes a break for a series, it would do him a world of good," Shastri told Shoaib Akhtar on the former Pakistan quick's YouTube channel.
With this as a peg, let's take a brief look at all that happened to Indian cricket outside of the pitch:
(i) Virat Kohli was sacked as ODI captain following the T20I resignation news
(ii) The Indian tour of SA was riddled with off-the-pitch controversy
(iii) Virat Kohli's been in the news constantly since then
And most importantly, the prolific player's performance
With this, we look at three reasons why Virat Kohli needs a break.
#1 Virat Kohli certainly deserves the time off
Workload management aside, Kohli must look at longevity and see how he can be his best self in what promises to be a packed international calendar. With home series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka followed by the IPL, a home series against the Proteas and a tour of England taking up their summer cricket.
It would certainly make more sense if Kohli opts out on some of the tours considering the volume he plays to keep his legs and mind fresh for the T20 World Cup later this year.
#2 Put the off-the-field news in the rear-view mirror
With all the news that's brewed about the former skipper, mental stress will surely impact performance on the field. Kohli, meanwhile, dismissed that notion with two fifties in the three-match ODI series against South Africa earlier this month.
However, in a more philosophical sense, Kohli is human and a rest period would give him time to recharge his batteries and put on some peak performance in the field.
#3 Work on his technique
This may see some scoffing, but Kohli has been known to meticulously work on flaws. Perhaps a break to work on the techniques will just help him stay as the most consistent and evolved modern-day great. With at least another half a decade of cricket in him, a fully-equipped Kohli can reign supreme for a longer period.