Mumbai, (Asian independent) Former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist feels it will be dangerous to drop Virat Kohli from the team at this moment and India should have the star batter for the upcoming T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November.
Kohli has not scored a century since November 2019, struggled for runs during this year’s IPL and even failed to contribute much with the bat during the recently-concluded tour of England. There have been calls to drop him from the national team and also to not pick for the World Cup if he continues to struggle in the next few series.
“It will be dangerous to cut Virat off at the moment. He is, maybe, a break away from freshening up. He has such a vast experience. He has set a high standard for a long time, so we are judging against a great player,” said Gilchrist.
One of the best wicketkeeper-batsmen ever, Gilchrist mentioned that Rishabh Pant’s talent excites him but he avoided an inference if Indian cricket is right in fast-tracking him into leadership roles.
“He is one of the most exciting cricketers to watch, I think he just lights up a stage, and makes an electric atmosphere when he is playing. The BCCI, the management and the selectors will just need to be patient with him,” the three-time World Cup winner said.
“If he doesn’t score in a few innings, they shouldn’t be too harsh on him because you don’t want to suppress the natural flair. I can’t comment on the captaincy side, whether he wants to do it, whether he is keen,” he added.
The Australian great also said that India are strong contenders for the World Cup.
“India are a talented squad of players and you can say that they are playing right now without their first eleven but getting great results. They are broadening their squad and filling this talent pool with international experience, so they have as good a chance as any team in Australia,” he concluded.
