Why India should drop Virat Kohli like how Pakistan did to Babar Azam

Virat Kohli is currently being more of a liability than an asset to the Indian cricket team. His lean run in the longest format of the game continues as he was dismissed for a single digit score yet again in IND vs NZ 2nd Test. With the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy just around the corner, it is imperative that India now take a tough call on Virat Kohli.

The Indian team can take a leaf out of Pakistan’s book in this case. Babar Azam was dropped after the PAK vs ENG 1st Test, paving way for a better batter in the playing XI. It was a bold call but one that had to be taken, all thanks to the PCB restructuring the selection committee, giving them full authority and restricting the role of skipper and coach in the selection of the team. And the result was fantastic! Pakistan ended their winless streak at home with a win in PAK vs ENG 2nd Test, with the newly added players in the squad emerging as the match winners.

India need to take a similar route for Virat Kohli as well. Kohli’s last seven scores in four Test matches were 6, 17, 47, 29, 0, 70, and 1, the first four from two Test matches against Bangladesh and the last three from the ongoing series against New Zealand. Not to forget, the batter played his first Test of the year just a couple of months back after missing the England series earlier this year.

Format	Matches	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	High Score	Average	Balls Faced	Strike Rate	Hundreds	Fifties
Test	116	197	12	9,017	254*	48.7	16,150	55.8	29	31

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Virat Kohli’s form hasn’t been lean just this year. It has been so for quite some time now, with the number of flops now starting to outweigh successes. It has been 596 days since his last Test century, and another four years (2019 vs Bangladesh) since he slammed a ton prior to that. To add to the misery, Virat Kohli is among the few who is also exempted from playing domestic cricket. Asking the star batter to play the Ranji Trophy is one route that the BCCI and team management take in order to get him back to form.