IND vs ZIM: That Would Be A Blunder From India's Perspective - Saba Karim On Dropping Virat Kohli From Some Formats If He Fails In Zimbabwe

Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim said that it will be a blunder to phase out Virat Kohli from some formats if he fails to deliver in the Zimbabwe tour.  Kohli has always been in the headlines either for scoring a truckload of runs or just returning with low scores.

Kohli’s lean patch with the bat has been in the limelight since the time he relinquished Indian team captaincy from all formats. He scored 11 and 20 in the rescheduled fifth Test against England, which India lost by seven wickets and levelled the series 2-2. He was rested for the first T20I but returned with scores of 1 and 10 in the next two games.

Nothing changed in the ODI leg as the 33-year-old managed 16 and 17 in the last two matches after missing the first due to a groin injury.

Virat Kohli is such an important figure in the Indian lineup: Saba Karim

Kohli opted out of the ongoing white-ball fixtures against West Indies in their own backyard. There is no confirmation whether the 33-year-old will play in the three ODI matches in Zimbabwe next month.

“I would say that would be a blunder from India’s perspective. Never do that and I think Virat is such an important figure in the Indian lineup,” Karim told Sports 18.

“The way I look at it, the way Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have backed Virat Kohli, that makes sense because they know that Virat Kohli back in good form will be extremely beneficial for the team’s success in World Cup T20,” he added.

Selectors and captain need to have a chat with Virat Kohli

Midway through the England tour, it was reported that the Indian selectors will decide Kohli’s place in the T20 World Cup based on his form in the white-ball leg.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had a different stance on the matter and he backed the senior batter in a tough time.

“I look at it in a different way altogether. First, the selectors and team management have to decide whether Virat Kohli is essential for India’s T20 World Cup side or not. Once they feel that Virat is essential for the team’s success, then I chart a path for Virat Kohli’s comeback to great form,” Karim said.

“That’s the time when the selectors or the captain or Rahul Dravid would love to have a chat with him and try and take it forward. I would not want to have any kind of imposition on Virat that – ‘Hey listen you have to come back and play the Zimbabwe series, otherwise we will not pick you for the World Cup T20’,” he added.

India will play the first T20I match against the West Indies on Friday (July 28) at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.

Also Read: We Need To Leave Virat Kohli Alone And Let Him Play His Cricket: Robin Uthappa