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'Same Thing Happened With Tendulkar, Ponting': Shastri Opens Up On Kohli's Form Dip

Akshita Patel

Ravi Shastri shares take on Virat Kohli's decline [Source: @ImTanujSingh, @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]Ravi Shastri shares take on Virat Kohli's decline [Source: @ImTanujSingh, @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]

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In an amusing take, former Indian cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri opined that Virat Kohli is dealing with a rough phase in his career, similar to what former legend Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar went through during the final few years of their career.

Virat Kohli, one of India's greatest modern-day cricketers, has been witnessing a steep downfall as his form has hit an all-time low. The 36-year-old, during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Series against Australia, could manage a total of 190 runs across 9 innings with an awful average of 23.75.

With Kohli very visibly in a decline, a chorus over axing him from the Test side has gained quite some momentum lately. The glaring technical flaws as well as veteran's weak reflexes have just convinced the fans that Kohli has lost it.

Ravi Shastri notes Virat Kohli's contributions amid bad form

However, former head coach Ravi Shastri had a different point of view. Talking to ICC, Shastri compared Virat Kohli's downfall to Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar, two of the greatest former cricketers.

Shastri said that despite not being at his best, Kohli is still contributing to the team in some capacity. During the Australia tour, he scored a hundred in the Perth Test before witnessing a series of failures.

"The same thing happened with Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting. I think Virat Kohli had to play a similar role to Ricky Ponting. If you look at his last couple of years also, he himself would say he was not at his Best. But he was playing well enough & wanted to contribute for the team," said Shastri.

Kohli's struggles in red-ball cricket are not a recent issue. Before the Border-Gavaskar series, he amassed 93 runs in three Tests with a low average of 15.50.

Kohli not thinking about retirement just yet

After a horror show in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Virat Kohli's retirement rumours gained steam. However, according to PTI, the 36-year-old has not given a thought to retirement. Instead, he is focusing on long-term goals and plans to feature in the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup. He is also likely to be selected for the five-game Test series against England, starting in June of this year.