Virat Kohli has earned the right to be never written off, says Ben Stokes

By siliconindia  |  Wednesday, 09 November 2022, 09:43:58 AM IST

Virat Kohli has earned the right to be never written off, says Ben Stokes
England all-rounder Ben Stokes said on Tuesday said he was not able able to understand why Virat Kohli was written off when he was going through a lean patch over the last 3 years, adding that it's not possible for everyone to do what the former India captain has done across all three formats.
Ben Stokes said Virat Kohli's break certainly helped him rejuvenate and find form again, adding that his opponents never take him lightly.
Virat Kohli is India's top scorer in T20 World Cup 2022 with 245 runs in 5 matches. The former captain has been the anchor to India's batting line-up even as the openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have struggled to get going, consistently. Kohli got India out of jail against Pakistan in their Super 12 opener in Melbourne with a spectacular 53-ball 82 not out and carried on with good form, scoring two more fifties in the tournament.
However, Kohli had struggled to put bat to the ball before the Asia Cup, managing just 81 runs in 4 innings in the calendar year. Kohli took a break before the Asia Cup and skipped the tours of West Indies and England to focus on his mental health. Kohli returned at the Asia Cup and opened up about depression and how his family's support helped him tide over the tough times.
Kohli roared back to form in the Asia Cup, scoring his maiden T20I hundred against Afghanistan and he has not looked back ever since, accumulating over 700 runs in T20Is in 2022.
"Look at that form. How unbelievable it is. As you know, he had a not-so-loud couple of months and, for some reason, players like that will get written off. I’ve got no idea why. I think he’s earned the right to never be written off. You don’t produce the number and produce the innings that he does over all three formats," Stokes told reporters in Adelaide ahead of England's semi-final against India.
“We as players and those who have played against him a lot, you never take anything he’s done in the game before into the game he’s got there. So just lay off a bit maybe.”
"Suryakumar (Yadav) is fantastic; he plays some shots that leave you scratching your head. He is in great form, and I guess we should tie him down and not allow him to get on a rampage," Stokes said.
India and England are set to play on a used pitch in Adelaide on Thursday, a day after the first semi-final between Pakistan and New Zealand in Sydney.
Source: IANS

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