Legendary India cricketer Kapil Dev, whose ‘if Ashwin can be dropped from Test matches then so can be Virat Kohli from T20Is’ statement sparked a widespread reaction from various former and current cricketers including India captain Rohit Sharma, has weighed in on India’s T20I squad for the West Indies. The 18-member squad announced on Thursday does not feature Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.
The BCCI did not give details for their absence but various media reports suggested that both the senior pros have been rested. Kapil, however, had a different take. “I can’t say a big player like Virat Kohli should be dropped. He is a very big player. If you have said that he has been rested to give him respect then there’s no harm in that,” the 1983 World Cup-winning captain told news agency.
Kohli, who didn’t feature in India’s first ODI due to a groin injury, returned to the XI for the second match at Lord’s, ruling out the possibility of the injury being a reason for his absence from the West Indies tour.
“The most important part is how to bring such a player back in form? He’s not an ordinary cricketer. He should get more practice and play more matches to get his form back. I don’t think there’s any player in this world who is bigger than Kohli in T20s but when you are not doing well, the selectors can take their call. My thinking is that if anybody is not doing well then he can be rested or dropped,” Kapil added.
The former India captain, who has not been able to produce match-winning knocks in any format regularly for more than two years now, was dismissed fishing at a wide David Willey delivery for 16 on Thursday.
Kapil said Kohli needs to find a way to score runs as great players like him shouldn’t take this long to get back in form.
“It’s not like India haven’t played without Virat in the last five to six years, but I want such a player to be back in form. Yes, he’s been dropped or rested but there’s still a lot of cricket left in him. And he has to create the path for that. Maybe play Ranji Trophy or score runs anywhere. His confidence needs to be back. This is the difference between a great and a good player. A great player like him shouldn’t take so much time to get back in form. He has to fight with himself and get things in order. Yes, it’s a bit of a concern that he is taking so much time to get back in form, a great player doesn’t take this long.
“I don’t have any problems if he is dropped or rested but I want him to get back in form. One innings can change a great player’s fortune but when will that come, we don’t know. We are waiting for two years for that,” he added.