"I believe Virat has the tools to come out of it" - Mahela Jayawardena backs the former India captain to be amongst the runs again
Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena believes Virat Kohli has the capability to lift himself out of the current rut he finds himself in. The 33-year-old has had a miserable 2022 so far across all formats and is desperate for some runs under his belt with the all-important T20I World Cup coming up.
The ace batter has been included in the squad for the 2022 Asia Cup that begins on August 24. He was not part of the side that toured the Caribbean recently and is also absent from the squad that will face Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series from August 18 (Thursday).
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Citing that form is temporary while class is permanent, Jayawardena said in the latest edition of the ICC Review:
"It is unfortunate what Virat is going through right now at the moment, but he is a quality player. I believe Virat has the tools to come out of it (the form slump). He has done that in the past as well and I’m sure he’ll come through this. Class is permanent and form is temporary."
Kohli was last seen during the tour of England, where he could only amass 76 runs in six innings. The former India captain also had a poor home season as well as a forgettable Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign earlier this year.
"He is going to be a very natural player so yes, it is an option" - Mahela Jayawardena on Rishabh Pant as a choice at the top of the order
In the prolonged absence of KL Rahul, mainly due to injury, the management have tested several opening combinations over the course of the past few bilateral series.
The likes of Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda and Shreyas Iyer have all availed the chance to open the innings for India.
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Opining that Pant provides a left-handed option for India at the top of the order, Jayawardena said:
"Even though he (Pant) hasn’t done that (open the batting) much in domestic cricket, he has the capacity to do that. Wherever he bats, you’re not going to change his game. He is going to be a very natural player so yes, it is an option (for Pant to open)."
The young wicket-keeper batter has opened the innings on two occasions for the Men in Blue. He has scored 27 runs with a strike rate of 135 while facing the new ball.
Team India's first-choice opener alongside Rohit Sharma is touted to be KL Rahul. However, the 30-year-old is yet to play a single T20I in 2022 so far, raising questions about his rhythm and form.
Admitting that KL Rahul's lack of cricket will be a concern for the team heading into the World Cup, Jayawardena said:
That (Rahul's lack of cricket) would be a concern for India. He has been out for a little while since the IPL, so having game time is quite crucial especially out there in the middle."
Jayawardena concluded:
The sooner he can get some game time and get that confidence back, is always going to help him, as well as the national team."
How should India deal with the likes of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul ahead of the T20I World Cup? Let us know what you think.