Virat Kohli’s former teammate stands firm on old criticism: ‘He was getting out in the same manner continuously'

Irfan Pathan stands firm on old criticism of Virat Kohli. (Photo: AFP)

The eve of the just finished tour of England marked the very sudden end of Virat Kohli's Test career. Everyone in the cricket community was taken aback by the abrupt decision, but in reality, it was made at a time when Kohli's abilities were eroding and his signature performances were becoming increasingly scarce.

In the later years of his career, Kohli faced his share of detractors since he was unable to establish himself in too many games. Many questioned why he was consistently dismissed in identical ways and why he was unable to deliver at the same level as his modern counterparts.

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Supporting a player who has been struggling for almost five years is only asking for trouble, according to his former teammate Irfan Pathan, who was very open about how he believed it was right to ask Kohli such questions.

"Virat Kohli had a slump in 2019-2020. You can see my social media of that time — I backed Kohli a lot," Pathan told Lallantop in an interview.

"I feel that when a big player faces his first slump, he should be backed. He deserves it too, because he won many matches for the team. But if this slump lasts for five years, then it is not right. In the end, the team is the most important."

Kohli's average dropped significantly during his bad performance in the latter five or six years of his career, and he was overtaken by players like Steven Smith and Joe Root. Even if there were less retirement rumors at the end, Kohli was still forced to stand aside and make room for the next generation.

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According to Pathan, Kohli realized his time was running out when he realized he couldn't give opposing bowling attacks the same headaches he used to.

"When a player gets out in the same way, the opposing team will get you out with Plan A itself. They will not need to go to Plan B. It is the job of a champion player to take you from Plan A to Plan B," said Pathan.

"The problem with Virat Kohli in Test cricket was that he was getting out in the same manner continuously. This does not mean that he is a bad player. He is a great player. But what is happening is also true. We have to tell what is happening, with details,” the former all-rounder said by outlining his perspective on the situation.

Although he will not play competitive cricket until the October ODI series against Australia, Kohli is still in the running for ODI cricket, which is still his strongest format.