Coming from a prolific Indian Premier League season,
Virat Kohli
was expected to set the
T20 World Cup
on fire, but a string of low scores on difficult tracks in New York has led to some of the Indian fans wondering if the batting legend has lost his form. But former India captain
Sunil Gavaskar
said there's nothing to worry.
Kohli won the 'Orange Cap' at this year's IPL, where he ended up as the tournament's top run-getter with 741 runs while opening the batting for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Taking cue from that, perhaps, the Indian think-tank chose to push Kohli up a spot as opener, partnering skipper Rohit Sharma.
T20 WORLD CUP: Schedule | Points Table
However, the move hasn't worked. In three matches so far in the T20 World Cup, Kohli's knocks read 1, 4 and 0.
While Kohli's string of low scores has left his fans worried and hoping that he will be back among the runs in India's concluding group-stage match against Canada, the 2007 champions have marched into the 'Super 8s' with three consecutive wins -- against USA, Pakistan and Ireland.
Analysing Kohli's dry spell in three matches, Gavaskar said there's no reason to worry because Kohli knows his responsibility, having won India so many matches over the year with his mountain of runs.
"I think he recognises that," said Gavaskar, talking on Star Sports after India's seven-wicket win over USA. "We are in the early phases of the tournament. There's Super 8s, semi-finals and hopefully the final. All he needs to do is show patience and faith in himself, which I think he has plenty."
Gavaskar said failing in three innings is not an indication of not playing well.
"When you get three low scores, it doesn't mean he is not batting well. Sometimes you get good deliveries. Any other day, the ball would've gone wide or over the slip for a boundary; today it didn't. So there's nothing to worry about. We have to show faith in him...believe that he is going to come good, sooner rather than later," said Gavaskar.
Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif believes Kohli needs to bat at his customary No. 3 position.
"I believe Virat Kohli should bat at number three. He has been opening in these seaming conditions where batting is not easy, unlike the flat pitches in the IPL. He plays excellently and aggressively, but perhaps here, he shouldn't play aggressively; maybe he should play to save his wicket," said Kaif.
India will next fly out to Florida for their last match of the group stage against Canada on June 16.
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