"Important for Pakistan not to let him come back into form" - Danish Kaneria warns against Virat Kohli coming good at Asia Cup 2022
Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria believes that Pakistan cannot afford to let Virat Kohli regain lost form at the upcoming Asia Cup 2022. He suggested that the Pakistan side are aware that Kohli is itching to get back among the runs.
Kaneria backed the star batter to score big runs at the continental event and added that it won't be easy for the opposition to stop him once that occurs. The former cricketer emphasized that it would be important for Kohli to perform at the Asia Cup.
He pointed out that India have a lot of backup options and, hence, the veteran batter must fire in order to retain his place. He made these remarks while speaking on his YouTube channel.
Kaneria said:
"There will be fear in the minds of Pakistani players due to the talk around Virat Kohli's form. They are aware that he can make a strong comeback. It will be important for Pakistan not to let him come back into form. If he regains his form, he will be unstoppable."
He continued:
"The Asia Cup is going to be very important for Virat Kohli. He needs to score runs in this tournament. He can't afford to fail as there are a lot of players waiting for their turn and you cannot keep them out of the side for long. I feel that he will be back with a bang in this Asia Cup. The time has come to silence the critics."
Virat Kohli's lean patch has put him under the scanner and several critics have raised questions about his place in India's T20I side. He was last seen in action during the Men in Blue's ODI series against England last month.
However, he wasn't able to make an impact in the 50-over fixtures, finishing with just 33 runs from his two appearances. Kohli is a part of India's squad for the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022, and the opening fixture against Pakistan will be a litmus test for him.
"These games can make or break a player's career" - Danish Kaneria on the pressure in India-Pakistan matches
Kaneria also spoke about how there is always tremendous pressure whenever India and Pakistan lock horns. He noted that there is a huge hype around these encounters as the matches between the cricketing nations have now become a rarity.
The 41-year-old opined that these matches could make or break a cricketer's career as they grab a lot of eyeballs.
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He added:
"There is tremendous pressure during India vs Pakistan games. Our coaches used to tell us that you just have to take it like any other match. But these games can make or break a player's career. There is a lot of hype around these matches as India and Pakistan don't play against each other that often."
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian side will take on Babar Azam's Pakistan in the second match of the Asia Cup 2022. The high-octane encounter is set to be played at the Dubai International Stadium on August 28.