Faf expresses confidence in Kohli's ability to bounce back
What's the story
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, has backed the Indian cricketer to find his form again. This comes after Kohli's dismal outing in Australia where he managed just 190 runs in five Tests. Du Plessis said retirement is a deeply personal decision and no one can tell when a player should retire. Here's more.
Player's perspective
Du Plessis highlights Kohli's motivation and experience
Du Plessis emphasized Kohli's immense motivation and wealth of experience as the two biggest reasons behind his possible resurgence. "I know someone like him is super super motivated, he's gone through it all before, so he knows exactly what to do," Faf told PTI. The former South Africa player also looked back at his own retirement decision, stressing that every player's journey is different.
Information
Kohli has been dismal in Tests of late
Kohli had a lean patch in 2024. He scored 417 runs from 10 Tests at 24.52. He managed one ton and a fifty from 19 innings. As per ESPNcricinfo, Kohli's average has dipped to 31.81 since 2021. He owns 1,912 runs from 36 matches (63 innings) since 2021.
Defeat
India lost 1-3 to Australia in BGT
The 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended with Australia reclaiming the title after a decade, winning the series 3-1. The final Test in Sydney saw Australia seal their triumph with a six-wicket win. With another defeat, India missed their berth for the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship final. While Jasprit Bumrah emerged as a one-man army for India, senior batters Kohli and Rohit Sharma tanked.