Cricket

Mohammad Kaif puts weight behind Virat Kohli ahead of ICC 2025 Champions Trophy, says don’t write him off

Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has backed under-fire Virat Kohli ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Kohli could only manage 190 runs in five Test matches against Australia at an average of 23.75 and thus he has been under the pump.

The talisman couldn’t deliver in the home Test series against New Zealand and Bangladesh. The right-hander scored 93 runs in three Test against the Kiwis at 15.50 and managed 99 runs in two games against the Tigers.

However, Kohli has a great record in the 50-over version as he has scored 13906 runs in 295 matches at an impressive average of 58.18. The right-hander scored 4188 runs in 125 T20I matches at an average of 48.7 before retiring from the shortest format of the game.

Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “Virat Kohli never accepts defeat and always makes a comeback. Don’t write him off in white ball cricket, the picture is far from over because he has 50 ODI tons to his name and nearly 13,000 runs in ODIs. So, forget what happened in Tests.”

Kaif recalled that Kohli broke his century drought against Afghanistan in the T20I format while playing in Dubai.

“He plays differently in white ball. The last time Virat Kohli played in Dubai, he scored an unbeaten 122 off 61 balls against Afghanistan and smashed six sixes in his innings. His form was excellent and he loves playing in Dubai so, I expect him to do well with the bat in the Champions Trophy. If he scores well in the opening game, then he will keep scoring runs, I can take that guarantee. Virat Kohli white ball me ek betaaj badshah hai (Virat Kohli is an uncrowned king in white ball cricket). The era has not ended, it will continue,” he added.

The former Indian batter, who is well known for his Natwest Trophy final knock against England, lauded Virat Kohli’s fitness. Kaif pointed out how Kohli scored a century against New Zealand in the semifinal of the 2023 World Cup.

Kaif recalled, “Virat Kohli against New Zealand, semifinal match of the World Cup. It was Wankhede Stadium and timing was around 2.30 pm. When his batting came, there was no wind (breeze), it was too hot and T-shirts were soaked in sweat. He comes out to bat, scored 100. Shubman Gill was in front of him, who was 23-years-old and Kohli was 34-years-old. He scored his 100 by running between the wickets. Gill got a cramp and he left the ground but Kohli kept batting, he also fielded. He took slip catches, and completed fielding full innings.”

After India lost the 2023 World Cup final against the Aussies, Kohli scored 76 runs off 59 balls in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa.

“The conditions were sunny, with no breeze, testing conditions in terms of fitness but he scored 100. India won that match. In the final, he scored 50 against Australia in the final but the team lost. He won Player of the Series but he wasn’t feeling good. He said, ‘This trophy is not important to me, if I had scored 100 I would have been a champion.’ Six months later, he went for the T20 World Cup, hit 76 in the final, and received two trophies – Player of the Match and the World Cup title,” he added.

India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.

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