IPL 2022 | 'Virat needs to become a free-flowing personality again' - Yuvraj Singh

The two-time World Cup-winning player Yuvraj Singh has backed legendary batter Virat Kohli to emerge from his ongoing slump and regain form. Still, the former India cricketer has also urged the latter to look back at how he was as a person in order to address the lean patch.

Kohli is in the midst of a rare poor patch with the bat in white-ball cricket. Despite having started the season on an impressive note, his numbers have nosedived at an alarming rate.

More than the lack of runs or the golden ducks that he has accumulated, it’s the discomfort that he is feeling at the crease that has been painful to watch.

However, Yuvraj believes that such is Kohli’s work ethic that it’s a matter of time before he starts churning out runs again.

In an exclusive interview with Sports18, the 2007 and 2011 World Cup-winner said, “Obviously he is not happy, and people aren’t too, because we have seen him setting bigger benchmarks, scoring hundreds after hundreds. But this happens to the best players.” 

However, the 40-year old wants Virat to become a ‘free-flowing personality’ again.

“Virat needs to become a free-flowing personality again. If he can change himself and be like how he was earlier, that will reflect in his game,” Yuvraj said. 

“He has proved himself to be the best of this era and believes in a strong work ethic, and that has brought the best out of him over the years,” he added.

Virat has managed just 128 runs in nine innings at an average of 16 and a strike rate of 119.62, including two golden ducks.

The former Bangalore and India captain will address the growing rut in his team’s next fixture, which will take place against the Gujarat Titans at the Brabourne Stadium on April 30.