'Kohli Doesn't Need Ranji...Leave Him Alone': Ambati Rayudu Backs Virat Kohli To Rediscover Form On His Own
Rayudu believes that the talisman batter should not be forcing himself into the exercise, stating that all he needs is some time and self-belief to find his form again.
Much emphasis has been placed on talisman Indian batter Virat Kohli to reinvent himself to rise as one of the premier batters of his generation yet again. But, not all ascribe to the idea of Kohli playing domestic cricket, as former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu spoke out against the need for him to do so.
Following a disastrous outing at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which saw Kohli muster only 190 runs in 5 matches, his second-lowest run total in a BGT series, the Indian opted to play domestic cricket with his Ranji Trophy side Delhi yet again in a bid to regain his form and confidence.
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But, Rayudu for one, believes that the talisman batter should not be forcing himself into the exercise, stating that all he needs is some time and self-belief to find his form again.
“Right now Virat Kohli doesn’t need Ranji. His technique was good for 81 hundreds and it will be good going forward as well," Rayudu wrote on his post on X.
Right now Virat Kohli dsnt need Ranji.His technique was good for 81 hundreds nd it will be good going forward as https://t.co/74HewkmLjd one shud force him into forcing himself for anything.He needs time to feel good about everything again.The spark within will ignite on its…— ATR (@RayuduAmbati) February 1, 2025
“No one should force him into forcing himself for anything. He needs time to feel good about everything again. The spark within will ignite on its own.
“Basically respect and believe in him. Most importantly, leave him alone."
Whilst all that Rayudu exclaims may be true, Kohli’s recent struggles in the long format over the past year are no indication of hope.
Kohli’s return to the domestic grind after 12 years had transformed an ordinary Ranji match into a spectacle. Fans from the national capital region and beyond thronged Kotla, eager to witness the maestro in action. However, they left Kotla on Friday with shattered hopes, adding a new name to their directories – Himanshu Sangwan.
The 29-year-old pacer Sangwan, who has made headlines all over, breached Kohli’s defense and shattered his stumps to send the talisman batter back to the pavilion.
Kohli, who came out at bat at No. 4 for Delhi in his first Ranji Trophy match after more than 12 years, could only manage to score six runs from 15 balls.
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