Virat Kohli does not deserve place in team, need to end superstar culture: Irfan Pathan

PTI, Jan 5, 2025, 4:18 PM IST

Sydney: Lambasting Virat Kohli for neither playing domestic cricket nor working hard to iron out the technical flaws in his game, former pacer Irfan Pathan on Sunday questioned star batter’s place in the side and called for an end to the superstar culture in the Indian team.

Kohli and Rohit Sharma were woefully out of form during the just-concluded Test series against Australia. The 1-3 defeat resulted in team losing out on qualifying for the World Test Championship final.

Kohli could manage only 190 runs in his nine innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, repeatedly offering edges to the slip cordon or keeper.

“We need to end superstar culture, we need team culture. You need to improve yourself and improve the Indian team. There were matches before this series, too, and they had an opportunity to play domestic cricket, but they didn’t. We need to change that culture,” Pathan told Star Sports.

The former all-rounder said even the great Sachin Tendulkar played Ranji Trophy even when it wasn’t required of him only because he wanted to spend that much time — four or five days — on the pitch “When was the last time Virat Kohli played domestic cricket? (the host points out that Kohli’s last first-class appearance for Delhi was in 2012) It has been more than a decade.” Pathan went to the extent of saying that maybe Kohli’s place should be given to a youngster, given that he has averaged less than 30 in first innings in the last five years.

“For the Indian team in 2024, in the first innings where you basically set up the match, Virat Kohli’s average is 15. And if you consider his average over the last five years, it’s not even 30.

“Does the Indian team deserve its senior player? Instead, give a youngster a chance. Tell him to get ready. He will also give an average of 25–30. This is about the team, not the individuals.” Pathan also questioned if Kohli was even serious to improve.

“When we talk about Virat Kohli, he has done a lot for India. He has delivered many performances. But you are getting out from the same mistake again and again.

“You are not creating a gap between two mistakes. You are not trying to fix the technical mistake. Sunny sir is in the field. How long does it take to talk to Sunny Sir or someone?” Australia beat India by six wickets in the fifth and final Test to regain the Border Gavaskar trophy.