FORMER India captain Virat Kohli's poor batting form is the most burning topic discussed in Indian cricket at the moment. While the batter, who managed only 33 runs in the recently concluded tour of England, is currently spending time with his family in Paris, France, to shift his focus away from the game, new reports have started floating that the Indian selectors could pick him for the India squad that will tour Zimbabwe next month for three ODIs so that he can regain some form before the Asia Cup scheduled in September.
One member of the Indian selection committee told InsideSport, “Hopefully, the break allows him to rejuvenate mentally and get his form back. But without any competitive cricket, it will be difficult and that is why we want him to play against Zimbabwe. It’s his preferred format and will help him regain his form before the Asia Cup. We will take a final decision close to the selection."
Kohli, who did not play the entire T20 and one-day international series against England that India won, has been rested for the white-ball series against the West Indies starting Friday (22). The 33-year-old fared poorly in the tour of England, managing a dismal average of below 13 across all formats. With some major international tournaments lined up over the next year and half, including a T20 and 50-over World Cup, Kohli's form has left both the India selectors and fans deeply worried.
However, while the Indian cricket board believes Kohli could regain his touch by playing a weaker opposition such as Zimbabwe, many Indian cricket fans were not too impressed with the situation where the star batter travels with a second-string India side to play a low-ranked team only to get back his form. However, there were also others who backed the move and urged Kohli to play the low-profile series.
Kohli, who has 70 international hundreds and more than 12,300 runs in the 50-over format, has played only eight ODIs against Zimbabwe, the last of which happened in 2015. In those eight outings, he has scored 253 runs with the highest score of 115. The last time Kohli played on the soil of the African nation was in 2013, when he was just five years into international cricket.
Here are some reactions that the Indian fans came up with the possibility of Kohli playing the upcoming three-ODI series in Zimbabwe:
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