Wasim Jaffer. Photo- Twitter
Wasim Jaffer. Photo- Twitter

Former India batter Wasim Jaffer thinks Deepak Hooda’s playmaking abilities will put pressure on Virat Kohli, who has been struggling with consistent performance for more than two years.

Hardik Pandya shines brightly with his maiden Twenty20 international half-century and four-fer, laying the groundwork for India’s dominant 50-run win over England in the opening game in Southampton.

Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid
Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid. (Photo: Twitter)

Hooda is excelling for the national team while Virat Kohli is out of the lineup while batting at No. 3. The right-handed batsman has four 30-plus scores, including a hundred, in his last four matches after hitting a 17-ball 33 on Thursday.

At the largest platform, Hooda keeps excelling but Kohli has a different tale to tell. The star batter has appeared to be only a faint shadow of himself.

Deepak Hooda (Image Credits: Twitter)
Deepak Hooda (Image Credits: Twitter)

The 33-year-old Kohli has not scored a century since 2019, and he has been going through a protracted dry spell. In the two innings of the Edgbaston Test, he only managed to score 31. It will be interesting to watch if India adjusts Hooda’s batting position when Kohli, who has only played two T20 games since the last World T20, returns to the lineup.

‘The pressure might bring out the best of Virat Kohli’: Wasim Jaffer

Wasim Jaffer, a former Indian batter, thinks Kohli would come under pressure from Hooda’s steady play because Kohli has struggled with consistency for more than two years. Kohli’s overall average in the most recent IPL was 22.73, which was the lowest mark since the 2010 season. Hooda, on the other side, led the Lucknow Super Giants with 451 runs at an average of 32.21.

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli. (Photo: Twitter)

“When Virat Kohli returns, his performance will put pressure on him. You have a player who has excelled and played admirably in both the T20Is and the IPL. Virat Kohli may perform at his best under pressure” said Wasim Jaffer on ESPNCricinfo.

Read More  IPL Live Streaming In India– When and Where To Watch RCB vs KKR Live In India? IPL 2024, Match 10

After dominating the first game, India will look to seal the deal when they face England in the second T20 International of the three-match series on Saturday at 7:00 PM IST at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham.

Also Read: India Set To Tour Zimbabwe For A 3-match ODI Series In August