Published: Mar 14, 2023, 08:23 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 14, 2023, 08:29 AM (IST)
New Delhi: Virat Kohli scored a pleasing century against Australia in the fourth Test to end his century drought in the longest format of the game. The hundred also means the end of the long stretched lean patch that made Kohli toil hard.
Kohli’s 28th Test century came after 42 innings, across 1205 days. The period between his previous ton, against Bangladesh in 2019 and the recent 186-run knock in Ahmedabad was a tough phase for the veteran as he lost his leadership duties to Rohit Sharma. Kohli was also slammed by critics for his poor show as they raised voices for omission of the batter from the Indian team.
Kohli, however, fought the situation with bravery and believed in his skills. He got the monkey off his back in the Asia Cup when he scored a T20I hundred against Afghanistan and then followed it up with ODI centuries against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. His wait for a Test hundred was a bit longer but his 44-run knock on the tough Delhi wicket was a big hint that a century in Test is not far away.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Amir, who has shared a great rivalry with Virat Kohli, slammed Kohli’s critics and said that one can never doubt Virat Kohli’s hard work and the batter has bounced back every time people have come hard on them.
“Who are these people who are criticising Kohli? I really don’t understand. At the end of the day he is human. It’s not like he has a remote and you press the button every day and you get a hundred and Kohli will win the match for India. Every player goes through ups and downs. I know because there are certain days when I feel I am bowling well but I don’t pick any wickets. And then many a times it is like I bowl bizarrely, probably a full toss or down-the-leg delivery, and I get a wicket. You need luck as well. And you can never doubt Kohli for his hard work. He loves challenges. Every time he has been criticised, he has bounced back to prove them wrong,” Amir said to Hindustan Times
