Former India's star batter Ambati Rayudu has come to Virat Kohli's defense after batting maestro's flop show on his Ranji Trophy return. Rayudu clearly stated that Kohli simply needs time to regain his confidence and find his rhythm.
Virat Kohli's return to the Ranji Trophy after 12 years has been highly anticipated, especially with the BCCI's mandate for contracted players to participate in domestic cricket. However, his first innings back with Delhi was short-lived as he was dismissed for just 6 runs.
Despite Kohli's ordinary batting, Rayudu believes that the batting maestro's talent and experience will eventually shine through. He stressed the importance of patience and allowing Kohli the space to rediscover his form.
Former India captain's innings began tentatively, with the batter appearing scratchy and unsure at the crease. He managed to hit one boundary, but his stay was brief. On the very next delivery, he was unable to handle an in-swinging ball, resulting in his stumps being rattled by the bowler.
Kohli's flop show in the Ranji Trophy match drew criticism from fans, who expressed disappointment that he couldn't find form even at the domestic level. Some even suggested that he should retire from Test cricket.
Ambati Rayudu defends Virat Kohli amidst form slump
However, Ambati Rayudu defended Kohli, arguing that he doesn't need to prove himself in the Ranji Trophy.Rayudu pointed to Kohli's impressive record of 81 centuries as evidence of his strong technique, asserting that it remains intact. He emphasized that Kohli simply needs to regain his confidence and urged people to give him space and avoid unnecessary pressure.
"Right now, Virat Kohli doesn't need Ranji. His technique was good for 81 hundreds nd it will be good going forward as well.No one shud force him into forcing himself for anything. He needs time to feel good about everything again. The spark within will ignite on its own basically respect nd believe in him, most importantly leave him alone," Rayudu wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter) wall.
Kohli will next be seen in the upcoming ODI series against England which is scheduled to start from February 6. But his real test will be in the Champions Trophy 2025 which is slated to kick off from February 19.