Tag: Virat Kohli

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has advised Pakistan batter Babar Azam to consider taking an extended break from competitive cricket, similar to the approach taken by Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli, in order to regain his form.

Former Pakistan captain Babar is going through a rough patch, particularly in Test cricket. He had a forgettable home Test series against Bangladesh in August-September, where he managed a meagre 64 runs in four innings.

The star batter was also dropped from the last two Tests of the recently-concluded three-match series against England, pertaining to his series of dismal performances in the longest format.

Babar has scored 3,997 runs in 55 Tests at a decent average of 43.92 but failed to make a half-century in the format since 2022 and has averaged a meagre 20.7 since 2023.

He managed to retain his position in Pakistan’s ODI side in the first match against Australia but continued his dismal form as he fell prey to Adam Zampa after scoring only 37 runs.

Ricky Ponting, during an interview with the ICC Review, expressed concerns over Babar’s recent struggles, especially in Test cricket.

“The biggest challenge is how they get Babar back into their side,” Ponting said in the ICC Review. “They’ve got to find a way to get Babar back into form and back into their [Test] team.”

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The former Australian captain cited the example of Virat Kohli, who made the bold decision to take an extended break in 2022 to recover his batting form.

Following the break, Kohli returned to the cricketing arena with renewed vigour and skill. His remarkable performance during the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 showcased his exceptional batting prowess, and he further solidified his comeback by making a significant impact in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

“You know, when you look at (Babar’s) numbers, it’s been a bit like the stuff that we were talking about with Virat [Kohli] earlier on,” Ponting said.

“Sometimes – and I think Virat was on record saying this – that little bit of a break that he had, he took himself away from the game for a while to freshen up and sort out some things that he needed to sort out.”

Ricky Ponting suggested that Babar Azam should take a similar route and stay away from the game for some time to freshen himself up.

“This might be exactly what Babar needs. Maybe Babar needs to get away for a while and stop trying too hard,” the former captain stated.

“Lock the kit bag away for a while, think about something else and then hopefully come back recharged, because we know at his best he’s as good as anyone going around. Hopefully, we get to see that in the back half of his career again.”

READ: Pakistan squad carries out training session in Adelaide for second Australia ODI

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma came under fire Monday as India chewed over a 3-0 Test series home defeat to New Zealand, with critics calling the team ageing and low on confidence.

The cricket superpower went down by 25 runs on Sunday in the third Test inside three days at Mumbai for only their second series whitewash at home. It sealed New Zealand’s historic first-ever Test series triumph on Indian soil.

For India there is little time to fix things — they travel to Australia for a five-match Test series starting on November 22.

“Losing 3-0 at home is a tough pill to swallow and it calls for introspection,” former skipper Sachin Tendulkar wrote on social media.

“Was it lack of preparation, was it poor shot selection or was it lack of match practice?”

India went into the series against the Black Caps second in the ICC Test rankings, behind Australia, and as clear favourites.

But repeated batting collapses — they were 46 all out in their first innings in the opening Test — set alarm bells ringing. It hardly got much better from there.

“I accept the fact that we were not good enough with the bat in the entire series,” said skipper Rohit Sharma.

It particularly showed the Indian batsmen’s surprising inability to handle spinners on turning pitches in their own backyard.

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Mitchell Santner took 13 wickets in the second match while Mumbai-born New Zealander Ajaz Patel took 11 in the third Test to condemn India.

With Australia looming large, the form of 37-year-old Rohit and superstar batsman Kohli, 35, is of particular concern to Indian cricket fans. Rohit made 91 runs in three matches. Kohli is just 93.

“The cold fact is that this is now a team in transition with key figures ageing, out of form and low on confidence,” the Times of India newspaper wrote.

“Two of their stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, seem to be in a state of terminal batting decline with a strange reluctance to acknowledge it and take corrective action like polishing their game by playing in domestic cricket,” it added.

Indian media reported that all senior players, including Rohit and Kohli, had been advised to play the domestic Duleep Trophy four-day matches, but the players refused due to a “lack of motivation”.

“They should have had some practice, definitely,” former India captain Sunil Gavaskar told the Indian Express.

“I know we beat Bangladesh and therefore it looked as if it was going to be a cakewalk against New Zealand,” Gavaskar added.

“But New Zealand, obviously, had a better attack, with cricketers who have played in India and in the IPL, who have a sense of what Indian pitches do.”

Rohit and Kohli retired from T20 cricket after the team’s World Cup triumph in June.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, 38, and Ravindra Jadeja, 35, also suddenly look like age is catching up with them, critics said.

READ: Pakistan can beat India in Test: Wasim Akram after New Zealand’s 3-0 win

BENGALURU: India’s star batter Virat Kohli on Friday, became only the fourth Indian batter to accumulate 9000 runs in Test cricket.

The right-handed batter achieved the milestone, courtesy of his 31st half-century during the ongoing rain-hit opening Test against New Zealand.

Consequently, Virat Kohli joined an illustrious list of Indian batters, featuring the likes of batting great Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.

The 35-year-old, however, is the slowest of them all, taking 197 innings.

Indian Batters To Score 9000 Runs in Tests

Rahul Dravid – 176 innings in 2006
Sachin Tendulkar- 179 innings in 2004
Sunil Gavaskar – 192 innings in 1985
Virat Kohli – 196 innings in 2024*

Meanwhile, Kohli played a pivotal role in leading India’s fightback against New Zealand in the rain-hit fixture, which earlier saw them succumb to their lowest Test total at home in the first innings.

India got to 231/3 at Stumps, trailing New Zealand by 125 runs after Glenn Phillips dismissed Virat Kohli on the final delivery of the day.

The home side got off to a steady start as Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma added 72 runs for the first wicket.

The opening stand lasted when Ajaz Patel got Jaiswal stumped on an anchoring 35, which featured six boundaries.

Rohit, known for his aggressive strokeplay, soon raced to his half-century in 59 balls but failed to convert it into a big knock as he too, fell victim to Patel.

He struck eight fours and a six on his way to a 63-ball 52.

India’s batting maestro Virat Kohli was then joined by young Sarfaraz Khan and the duo unleashed the demolition of New Zealand bowlers with a marathon stand, which yielded 136 runs.

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For New Zealand, Ajaz Patel bagged two wickets while Phillps had one to his name.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand resumed their first innings at 180/3 with Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, unbeaten on 22 and 14 respectively.

The duo, however, could add 13 runs to their overnight partnership as Mohammed Siraj got rid of Mitchell, who managed 18.

The visitors lost three more wickets in quick succession and had slipped to 233/7 but an astounding eighth-wicket partnership between Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee set New Zealand to amass a massive total.

The pair frustrated Indian bowlers and added 147 runs for the eighth wicket until Siraj finally sent Southee packing after a defiant 65 with the help of five fours and four sixes.

Meanwhile, Rachin Ravindra was the last man to be dismissed as New Zealand were booked on 402.

Ravindra remained the top-scorer for the BlackCaps with a sensible 134, peppered with 13 fours and four sixes.

Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav bagged three wickets each, followed by Siraj with two, while Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin shared two between them.

READ: Shan Masood opens up on strategy behind Pakistan’s Multan Test win

Legendary Pakistan batter Zaheer Abbas has voiced his displeasure over the comparison between star batter Babar Azam and Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli.

Babar and Virat are often compared across the cricket fraternity over their similar technical aspect, however, Zaheer Abbas called these comparisons pointless.

The Asian Bradman, during an appearance on a sports talk show in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), highlighted the current form of both players, hinting at Babar’s recent struggles.

“The comparisons are pointless, Virat Kohli scores in every match, the other player [Babar Azam] doesn’t score in any match, so then how can you compare? The person who scores, he is the bigger player,” he said.

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It’s worth noting that Virat has been in good form recently, having led India to their second T20 World Cup title with a gutsy half-century in the final against South Africa in June.

Meanwhile, in the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur, he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to amass 27000 runs in international cricket.

On the other hand, Babar has been under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances recently, the highlight of which was his dismal run in the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh.

He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings after a forgettable home series against Bangladesh, where he managed 64 runs in four innings.

READ: Bangladesh thrash Pakistan in Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match

KANPUR: Star India batter Virat Kohli on Monday, surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to amass 27000 runs in international cricket on the fourth day of the second Test between India and Bangladesh here at the Green Park Stadium.

Kohli surpassed India’s batting great Sachin Tendulkar, who achieved the feat in 623 innings. The 35-year-old took 594 innings to get to the milestone.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting and legendary Sri Lanka wicketkeeper batter Kumar Sangakkara are the only two other batters to amass 27000 runs in international cricket.

Fastest to 27000 international runs

Virat Kohli – 594 innings
Sachin Tendulkar – 623 innings
Kumar Sangakkara – 648 innings
Ricky Ponting – 650 innings

Before the commencement of the second Test between India and Bangladesh, Kohli had 8871 Test runs to his name in 114 matches at an average of 48.74.

In ODIs, however, he has scored 13906 runs in 295 matches at a staggering average of 58.18. The right-handed batter also has 4188 runs from 125 T20Is at an average of 48.69.

Most runs in international cricket

34,357 runs – Sachin Tendulkar (782 innings)
28,016 runs – Kumar Sangakkara (666 innings)
27,483 runs – Ricky Ponting (668 innings)
27,012 runs – Virat Kohli in (594 innings)
25,957 runs – Mahela Jayawardene (725 innings)

In a match that was majorly affected by rain, Bangladesh were trailing by 26 runs at Stumps on Day 4 after being reduced to 26/2 in their second innings.

Bangladesh resumed their first innings at 107-3 but could only add 119 more runs to their tally despite an unbeaten century by Mominul Haque.

Haque struck 17 fours and a six on his way to top score for Bangladesh with a gritty 107-run knock.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (31) was the only other batter with a significant contribution.

Jasprit Bumrah led India’s bowling attack with three wickets, followed by Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin and Akash Deep, who bagged two each.

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In response, Indian batters came out all guns blazing with young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul being the cornerstones of their attempt to force a result.

Jaiswal smashed 12 fours and two sixes on his way to a 51-ball 72 while Rahul made a brisk half-century, scoring 68 off just 43 balls, laced up with seven fours and two sixes.

Seasoned batter Virat Kohli (47) was the next-best run-getter in the home side’s whirlwind first innings. India declared at 285-9 from just 34.4 overs, leaving Bangladesh to face a tricky 11 overs before the Stumps.

The touring party lost two wickets in the process as Ravichandran Ashwin trapped Zakir Hasan (10) lbw before bowling nightwatchman Hasan Mahmud for four.

Shadman Islam (7*) and Mominul Haque will now resume Bangladesh’s second innings from 26/2 on the highly-anticipated final day of the ongoing second Test.

READ: Iftikhar Ahmed blames journalists for ‘ruining cricket’

CHENNAI: Star batter Virat Kohli on Friday, joined batting great Sachin Tendulkar in an elusive list of India batters with more than 12,000 international runs on home soil.

Kohli achieved the feat on the second day of India’s first Test of the three-match series against Bangladesh when he reached six runs in the second innings.

The right-handed batter is only the fifth batter in history to amass 12000 runs on his home soil across formats, joining the ranks of greats like compatriot Tendulkar, Australia’s Ricky Ponting, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara.

Tendulkar leads the elite list with 14,192 runs in 258 matches across formats, followed by Ponting with 13,117, Kallis with 12,305 and Sangakkara with 12,043.

Batters with more than 12000 runs on home soils

Sachin Tendulkar: 14,192 runs
Ricky Ponting: 13,117 runs
Jacques Kallis: 12,305
Kumar Sangakkara: 12,043 runs
Virat Kohli: 12,011 runs

Despite achieving a significant milestone in the aforementioned fixture, Kohli was far from his best as he managed meagre scores in each of the innings.

He fell for just six in the first innings, getting caught behind off Hasan Mahmud as he tickled a length delivery way outside the off-stump on its way to Litton Das behind the stumps.

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Meanwhile, in the second innings, Virat Kohli appeared to have found the rhythm, having amassed 17 runs and was middling the ball quite effortlessly.

However, the star batter once again failed to convert a good start into a big knock as he was trapped lbw by Mehidy Hasan Miraz on just 17.

Miraz bowled a flighted full ball, landed just outside off and spun in. Virat Kohli stretched forward and looked to flick it away but got deceived by the sharp spin and the ball went through his defence and hit low on his front pad.

The right-handed batter decided not to review the decision but the replay showed that he had faintly edged the ball.

READ: Mohammad Abbas offers valuable advice to Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah

Legendary England pacer James Anderson garnered massive praise on India’s batting star Virat Kohli, terming him as the greatest finisher in white-ball cricket.

Anderson, who recently bid adieu to Test cricket, appeared in BBC’s Tailenders podcast and talked about his admiration for Kohli’s brilliance in run chases.

“I do not know if there is been a better batter in the history of the game batting second and chasing down scores than Virat Kohli,” Anderson said. “His record at chasing is absolutely phenomenal. The number of hundreds he has scored in the second innings, chasing down scores is ridiculous.”

Virat Kohli’s records in run chase in white-ball cricket back James Anderson’s remarks as the right-handed batter has scored 7,852 runs at an average of 64.36 with the help of 27 centuries and 40 fifties.

“It is no surprise that when he gets in that situation, with his mentality, it is just like it is meant to be. His self-belief is so high,” Anderson added.

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When asked if James Anderson considers Virat Kohli the greatest white-ball batter of all time, the England legend refrained before mentioning Australia’s Michael Bevan.

“I cannot say that. I was thinking more in terms of just chasing. Michael Bevan from Australia comes to my mind, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s – he was just phenomenal coming in at number six and doing that job,” the England pacer added.

“Kohli batting at number 3 gets those hundreds while Bevan was renowned for getting his 50s, 60s and being at the end, while Kohli gets the big score, to get his teams over the line. I honestly can’t think of a better finisher and greater white-ball players than him (Kohli),” he concluded.

READ: Stone replaces Wood in England’s Playing XI for second Sri Lanka Test

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam is on the verge of achieving a significant milestone, during the Test series against Bangladesh, that would place him alongside Indian batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

Babar has scored over 4000 runs in ODI and T20I cricket, however in Test cricket he has so far scored 3898 runs.

He needs only 102 runs to become the first Pakistan and third overall to achieve the elusive milestone of scoring 4000 runs in all three formats of the game.

Prior to him, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have achieved this feat, with the former being the first one to do so.

Virat reached the milestone during the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal against England. In his 16-year-long career, he has scored 8848 runs in Test matches, 13906 runs in ODIs, and 4188 runs in T20Is.

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Meanwhile, Rohit achieved the feat during the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He has amassed 4137 runs in 59 Tests, 10,866 runs in 265 ODIs and 4231 runs in 159 T20Is.

It is worth noting that Virat and Rohit both retired from T20Is after leading India to World Cup glory in June.

Babar Azam, on the other hand, has been a prolific run-scorer for the country since making his international debut in 2015. He has scored 5729 runs in 117 ODIs at an average of 56.72 and 4145 runs in 123 T20Is at 41.03.

Babar was set to take the field for Pakistan in the first Test against Bangladesh this morning, however, the toss has been delayed due to a wet outfield in Rawalpindi.

The umpires found wet patches in the outfield of Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium due to overnight rain.

READ: Bangladesh cricket chief resigns amid Pakistan tour

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah has congratulated batting maestro Virat Kohli on completing 16 years in international cricket.

The 35-year-old Indian batter made his debut on 18 August 2008 in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. He had a forgettable debut game, scoring a meagre 12, however, he went on to become arguably the greatest batter of the modern era, breaking several records during his 16-year-long career.

On the 16th anniversary of Kohli’s debut, Jay Shah shared a heartfelt congratulatory message on his official X account, acknowledging the star batter’s illustrious and successful career.

“16 years ago today, a 19-year-old @imVkohli stepped onto the international stage for the first time, marking the beginning of what has become a truly legendary career. Congratulations to the King on completing 16 years in international cricket,” Shah posted.

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During his illustrious career, Virat Kohli has achieved significant success with team India, securing victories in three major tournaments: the ICC ODI World Cup in 2011, the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, and the more recent ICC T20 World Cup in 2024.

Virat Kohli has showcased his exceptional skills across, but his performance in ODI cricket is particularly remarkable.

He has scored a phenomenal 13,906 runs with an outstanding average of 58.18 and has struck a record-breaking 50 centuries in ODI cricket.

Meanwhile, Kohli has scored 8,848 runs in 113 Test matches at an average of 49.15 with 29 centuries. On the other hand, he has amassed 4,188 runs in 125 T20Is at an average of 48.68 and a strike rate of 137.04.

READ: Salman Ali Agha embraces challenge as Pakistan’s sole spinner

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah revealed the reason behind the absence of star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from this year’s edition of the Duleep Trophy.

When probed about the absence of senior batters from the domestic tournament, the BCCI Secretary gave a blunt reply, stating that they may sustain injury.

Shah’s statement came when India are set to play 10 Tests from September to January. The upcoming busy schedule commences next month when the two-time World Test Championship (WTC) finalists take on Bangladesh in a two-match series.

Jay Shah also coined examples of top cricket-playing nations like Australia and England, asserting that not all of their key players domestic cricket often.

However, contrary to Shah’s claims, England Test captain Ben Stokes recently featured in the County Championship, representing Durham while his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins, is likely to feature in the Sheffield Series, according to a report by ESPN Cricinfo.

“We should not insist on players like Rohit and Virat to play in the Duleep Trophy. They will risk injury. If you have noticed, in Australia and England, every international player does not play domestic cricket. We have to treat the players with respect,” Jay Shah was quoted as saying by ANI.

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For the unversed, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma last played Indian domestic cricket back in 2012 and 2016 respectively.

Jay Shah then went on to highlight that most of the Indian international players are featuring in domestic cricket before lauding Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer for their participation in the Buchi Babu Tournament.

“Apart from them, everyone else is playing. You should appreciate that,” said Shah.

“One must note that Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer are playing in the Buchi Babu tournament.”

READ: Jay Shah breaks silence on India visiting Pakistan for Champions Trophy