"Even If He Scores A 50, People Say He's Failed": Mohammad Azharuddin On Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli recently went through a lean patch in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 and has failed to hit a century in international cricket since November 2019. However, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin has backed the star batter to bounce back strong, saying he just needs one big score to get his confidence back. He also said that due to the high standards Kohli has set for himself with his performances in the past, even a half-century from his bat is considered a sub-par innings.

"With Virat Kohli, what happens is that even if he scores a 50, people say he has failed," Azharuddin was quoted as saying to reporters in Dubai by Khaleej Times.

"I think it happens to every cricketer. Even the best of the players have gone through these lean periods," he went on to say.

"There is nothing wrong with his technique. Sometimes you also need a little bit of luck," Azharuddin said.

"If he gets one big score, a big hundred, the aggression and the confidence will come back," he claimed.

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Kohli has been rested for India's upcoming five-match T20 International (T20I) series against South Africa and is set to next be in action in the one-off Test against England in July.

In IPL 2022, Kohli scored 341 runs from 16 matches at a dismal strike rate of 115.99. He scored just two half-centuries and failed to fire in the play-offs as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were knocked out in Qualifier 2 by Rajasthan Royals.