Virat Kohli’s continual struggle could see him traveling with a second-string India squad for the Zimbabwe tour next month where they will play three ODIs. India will be playing a series in Zimbabwe for the first time in six years.
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Kohli has been battling a major slump in form for some time now and was hoping to get back his old touch back during the recently concluded tour of England. However, the returns were quite poor as the once prolific batter managed 31 runs in two innings of Edgbaston Test, 12 runs in two T20Is and 33 runs in two ODIs against England.
Despite the slump, Kohli has been rested from the Caribbean tour where India will play eight white-ball matches including three ODIs and five T20Is starting July 22.
Now, the Indian team management is planning to include Kohli for the Zimbabwe ODIs to give the 33-year-old another chance to regain form ahead of Asia Cup 2022.
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“There is still some time before the selectors meet. But the plan is to have Virat use the Zimbabwe series to regain batting touch in a format he is very good at," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Kohli continues to get support from different quarters with his own captain Rohit Sharma repeatedly dismissing the talks around his lack of runs, calling him a quality player who is going through a phase that’s common in every cricketer’s career.
More recently legendary Australia captain Ricky Ponting said that opponents will be less fearful of an Indian team that doesn’t have Kohli.
“I think if I was an opposition captain or an opposition player, I will be fearing playing an Indian team that has Virat Kohli in it, more than I would be one that doesn’t have him in it," Ponting told ICC.
He continued, “If I was India, I would keep pushing with him, because I know the upside. If they actually get him back confident and playing as well as he can, that upside is better than most."
The Zimbabwe ODIs are part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League – a 13-team competition serving as a route for direct qualification for the ODI World Cup 2023.
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