INDIA vs ENGLAND 2ND T20I: Former India captain Kapil Dev believes that if a talented bowler like Ravichandran Ashwin can be dropped from the playing XI of the Test team, then Virat Kohli, who has been battling for his rhythm for a long time, should also be included in the T20 team. Getting out shouldn’t be a big issue. Kohli has been battling to play big innings for almost three years. The all-rounder captain, who made India the world champions for the first time, feels that it will be unfair to the Indian team management if they do not give enough opportunities to the players who are in great rhythm to showcase their skills.
Kapil told ABP News, ‘If you can leave Ashwin, the second best bowler in Test cricket, then the world number one player can also sit out. I want Kohli to score runs, but at the moment Virat Kohli is not playing the way we know him. He has made a name for himself on the basis of his performance. If he doesn’t perform, you can’t keep new players out.
The former India captain said that he wants Kohli and the youngsters to have a good competition for a place in the team. He said, ‘I want the new players to perform in such a way that things are difficult for Virat and he comes back in such a way that the new players have to raise their level further. I want both of them to have a good competition.
Kapil Dev said, ‘Virat should think in this way that he was once the top batsman of the team and he has to do the same in this team. This is a problem for the team. Kapil said that Virat’s ‘rest’ from the West Indies tour should be considered ‘out’ of the team for him. He said, ‘You can call it rest or you can call it out of the team. Everyone can have their own opinion on this. If the selectors have not selected him, then it could be because the big players are not performing.
Kapil Dev said that the playing XI should be selected on the basis of current form and not on the basis of past performance. “When you have a lot of options, give chances to the players in the rhythm. You cannot go on the basis of reputation alone.
Kapil Dev, former captain of the Indian cricket team, said, ‘You have to choose on the basis of current form. You may be an established player, but that does not mean that you will be given chances even after performing poorly in five matches in a row.