Virat Kohli labelled North Indian
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India's veteran cricketer Virat Kohli is not in great form with the bat as it is evident from his recent returns in international cricket. The 36-year-old has received plenty of criticism for his low returns and there have been calls for his retirement as well.
However, his former India teammate Suresh Raina has come out in his support and backed him to regain form soon. Raina hailed Kohli's "North India" mentality and claimed that it would help him to get back amongst the runs. Kohli will be playing for Delhi in their last league game of this Ranji Trophy season.
Suresh Raina on Virat Kohli's mindset
During a conversation on Star Sports, Suresh Raina spoke about the mindset of Virat Kohli and claimed that he can change the mindset of his team with his energy. Raina praised Kohli's love for the game and called him a player who would fight till the last moment.
"His mindset is very different. He (Virat Kohli) is, as I said, I think a good teammate to have in a dressing room, but he is always on the switch. When he practices, he has a different preparation," Raina noted.
"When he does fielding, whenever the chips are down, he will be the first person to come and say, 'Let's fight, let's do fielding.' I really enjoyed fielding with him because his passion is different. When he is in the mood for fielding and diving, everyone's attitude changes," he added.
Suresh Raina backs Virat Kohli's "North India" mentality
When asked about his recent form, Raina backed Kohli to regain form. Raina claimed that being from "North India", Kohli has a tough mental strength and has a never-say-die attitude instilled in him.
"Virat (Kohli), he has the talent, and he is a little different in North India. When we come from there, we can't bear to lose. We don't know how to lose. We won't leave till we die. That's the kind of attitude he has," said Raina.
Kohli originally hails from Delhi and also plays domestic cricket from the city. However, he hasn't played domestic cricket for a long time. He last played a match in the Ranji Trophy in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh.
Virat Kohli's Ranji Trophy return
Virat Kohli will play a Ranji Trophy match after more than 12 years when he takes the ground against Railways. The match will be played from January 30 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
It is a big game considering his poor form. Kohli will be aiming to regain some form ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. Recently, the BCCI put out a mandate for all the centrally contracted players to make themselves available for domestic cricket.
In the previous round of the Ranji Trophy, some high-profile Indian players like Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal made their appearance. In the upcoming round, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj will also play for their respective domestic sides along with Kohli.
