Melbourne: Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has revealed he never lost faith in Virat Kohli’s abilities with the bat even when he was going through a prolonged form slump because champions “always tend to find a way” to achieve success.
Kohli has been in supreme form with 220 runs in four matches and being the leading run-scorer in the ICC T20 World Cup here with an average of 220. He played an astonishing knock of 82 not out against Pakistan in India’s four-wicket win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23. Since making a comeback into the side following a month-long break from cricket, he is back to his old self, scoring runs aplenty and playing a key role in almost every bilateral series and the T20 World Cup, indicating his confidence is back.
“He’s been a champion player of the game in all three formats for a long period of time,” Ponting was quoted as saying by ICC on Saturday.
“One thing I’ve learnt about champion players, in this game in particular, is you just never write them off. They always tend to find a way, particularly when it matters most, to dig deep enough and find a way to get a job done.
“If you wind the clock back about a week, start of this tournament; India, Pakistan, right here at the MCG — that was what I thought might happen,” said the former Australia captains, who also is the head coach of IPL side Delhi Capitals.
“Virat rolling the clock back a little bit, playing a match-winning knock, being man of the match in what I think is one of the best sporting spectacles that I’ve ever seen.”
Kohli ended his 1,021-day century drought with a stunning unbeaten 122 from 61 balls when opening for India in an Asia Cup match against Afghanistan in September in the UAE, but soon returned to his preferred first drop.
–IANS