(UTV | COLOMBO) – Shastri says Virat should take a 2-3 months’ break to regroup and come out as a better version than the current one.
It was a bittersweet end to Virat Kohli’s captaincy voyage in Test cricket. The 33-year-old Kohli helped India scale new heights in the traditional format before stepping down from the position after the team’s series defeat in South Africa.
After taking over the mantle of Test captaincy from MS Dhoni, Kohli led India in 68 Test matches and secured 40 wins at a win percentage of 58.82. Under Kohli, the Indian Test unit registered their first Test series win in Australia in 2018, attained the No. 1 spot in world rankings, and made it to the final of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC).
Kohli’s impressive stint as a leader took an unexpected turn in the last few months. Last year, he stepped down as the T20I captain and then he was removed as ODI captain as the selectors wanted just a single white-ball captain. It eventually led to his exit from Test captaincy but former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes Kohli the batter still has plenty to offer.
Shastri suggested a short “break” for Kohli to regroup and come out as a better version than the current one. India’s next Test series will be at home against Sri Lanka during which Kohli is expected to play his landmark 100th game in the longest format. The flamboyant batter is also chasing his 71st international century — a milestone that he’s trying to accomplish since 2019.
“He realizes he is 33, he realizes he has five years of good cricket ahead of him. If he can calm down, focus on his batting, take one game at a time, probably take a break from the game as well. I think if he sits out for two or three months or takes a break for a series, it would do him a world of good,” said Shastri.
Shastri, who had a prolific stint as head coach while working with Kohli, sees the former skipper to don the role of a team player, contributing more as a batter. In the ODI series versus South Africa, Kohli scored 51 & 65 in three games, taking his tally to 43 half-centuries in the 50-over format.
“To come back and play those three-four years as king, absolute king. You know where he is clear mentally, knows exactly what his job and role are, and then plays as a team player, that’s where I want to see Virat Kohli now. To come, contribute big time as a team player and help the team win,” he further added.