NEW DELHI: Legendary West Indian pacer Andy Roberts has advised Virat Kohli to focus on Test cricket to regain form ahead of the third Test, starting on December 14 in Brisbane.
Roberts, known for his straightforward views, remarked, “get your batting right,” urging the Indian star to prioritise the traditional format of the game.
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Kohli, regarded as one of the finest batters of his generation, has been struggling with his form in recent times.
Since January 2020, Kohli’s batting has scored 1,961 runs across 64 innings, maintaining an average of 32.14. During this period, the 36-year-old managed to score three centuries and nine half-centuries.
Roberts, in his conversation with Mid-Day, offered a broader perspective to Kohli, who effectively silenced his critics by scoring his 81st international century in Perth. The remarkable achievement, his first Test hundred after a gap of 16 months, contributed significantly to India’s historic victory with a margin of 295 runs.
Roberts believes Test cricket offers Kohli the platform to regain his lost focus, emphasising the importance of red-ball cricket in shaping a player’s legacy.
“I don’t know if there will be a revival after the Adelaide defeat, but get your batting right. One of your best batsmen of all-time has been struggling for the last five years,” he said referring to Kohli.
“He needs to be focused on the longer version of the game. You will get runs and score heavily in Test cricket only when you are fully focused on the longer form. The standard of Test cricket is not the same. The top batsmen look as if they are struggling.”
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