Renowned West Indies cricketer Brian Lara has called on fans and the Indian team management to remain patient with Virat Kohli, who is currently facing his worst performance in a T20 World Cup. Kohli, hailed for his exceptional batting skills, has only managed to score 29 runs in four innings in the tournament, with an average of just 7.25.
In the recent Super 8 match against Afghanistan, Kohli seemed to be settling in well but was unfortunately dismissed for 24 runs off 24 balls while trying to step up the pace against Rashid Khan. Despite his ongoing struggles, Lara is confident that there is no need to panic. He stressed that Kohli's time spent at the crease is a positive sign, and it is important to remain patient as there are still plenty of games remaining in the tournament.
"24 off 24, you can say that's not great but the most important thing is that he spent some time out there. India has got one step closer to winning this trophy. I believe that Virat Kohli is just going to go from strength to strength as he comes down to the Caribbean. He's going to Antigua next, you're going to see him go out there and plough and plough, he's going to get runs. When he gets into full swing, it's a different story. We just have to be very patient with him; we're going to see a lot of him as there's still a lot of games left in this World Cup," said Brian Lara on Star Sports.
Kohli, opening the innings for the first time in the T20 World Cup, has not been able to replicate his IPL form in the ongoing event. In the IPL 2024, he finished as the highest run-scorer with 741 runs from 15 innings at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69. However, this prolific run has not translated into the World Cup performance so far.
India's next match is against Bangladesh, a team against which Kohli has an impressive average of 96.5 in T20Is. Fans and the Indian camp will be hopeful that Kohli can find his form and contribute significantly as the crucial knockout stages of the tournament approach.
Lara's call for patience highlights the importance of backing experienced players during tough times, recognising that their form can change swiftly, especially in a high-stakes tournament like the T20 World Cup.