"Who told you he is going through a rough patch?" - Indian football legend backs under-fire Virat Kohli
Former India football captain Sunil Chhetri has backed Virat Kohli amid growing criticism over the cricketer superstar's batting form. Throwing his weight behind his good friend, Chhetri urged patience with the former India captain.
Kohli (36) has been battling poor form for a while now. The right-handed batter scored only 93 runs in six innings during the three-match Test series against New Zealand at home. The seasoned cricketer was dismissed for five in the first innings of the Perth Test against Australia but followed it up with 100* in the second essay. Kohli, however, managed only 7 & 11 in his two innings in Adelaide.
In an interaction with ANI, Chhetri batted for Kohli and commented:
"Who told you he is going through a rough patch? He will be fine. He has given the country so many amazing days, amazing wins. Just be patient, he will be fine. Just enjoy watching him."
The Indian football legend praised Kohli's attitude and dedication to cricket. Hailing the run machine, he added:
"When you see him on the pitch, on the ground, you see a distinctly different personality as compared to others. Look at his longevity. Look at the way he runs between the wickets. Look at the way he applies himself."
"Talent is one thing, but if he doesn't take care of himself, which he does tremendously well, he will not be able to do what he's doing. I mean, when did you see him last not giving his best or not being fit? Making runs and not making runs is a different part," Chhetri stated.
Kohli will be keen to get back among the runs when Team India take on Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane from December 14 in the third Test of the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Virat Kohli's forgettable 2024 in numbers
Kohli has found the going tough across formats in 2024. In 29 innings in international cricket this year, he has scored 611 runs at an average of 22.62, with one hundreds and two fifties.
The 36-year-old has played eight Test matches this year, scoring 373 runs at an average of 26.64, with one ton and one fifty. In ODIs, he played three matches and scored 58 runs, with a best of 24. Kohli also played 10 T20Is in 2024, scoring 180 runs at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 119.20.
He retired from T20Is after scoring 76 in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa.