Former Cricketer Criticizes Kohli’s Test Performance, Urges Change

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy proved to be a disappointing series for senior Indian batsmen, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. For Kohli, in particular, the series turned out to be an unpleasant experience. Despite playing nine innings in the five-Test series, Kohli could only manage to score 190 runs. While he began with a century in the first Test at Perth, he failed to perform consistently in subsequent matches, struggling during crucial moments when the team needed him most.

In light of this, former Team India cricketer and commentator Irfan Pathan made strong remarks about Kohli’s performance. Pathan stated that Indian cricket no longer needs a "superstar culture" and suggested it may be time to replace Kohli with younger players.

“For the past five years, Kohli’s batting average in Tests hasn’t even crossed 30. If we bring in a new player to replace him, he would likely average around 25 to 30. Even a legend like Sachin Tendulkar played domestic cricket. However, it has been nearly ten years since Kohli played a domestic match. Kohli can still play domestic cricket during the gaps in the international schedule, can’t he?” questioned Pathan.

Pathan’s remarks highlight the growing sentiment among some experts that new talent should be given opportunities in place of senior players who are underperforming. Whether the selectors heed this call remains to be seen, but Kohli’s recent struggles have undoubtedly sparked a debate regarding his place in the national team.