Virat Kohli can take 2-3 month's break, it will do him a world of good: Ravi Shastri
India Today
Former head coach Ravi Shastri said a couple of months' break will help Virat Kohli refresh mentally and come back hungrier to contribute to India's success across all formats.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri suggested that Virat Kohli need a couple of month's break from the game and that the period of rest will do the star batter a world of good. Shastri said he wants Kohli to continue as a team player and that the former captain has a good 5 years of cricket left in him.
Virat Kohli quit as India's Test captain a day after they lost a Test series 2-1 in South Africa. Kohli was under considerable pressure after he alleged miscommunication between him and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an explosive press conference ahead of India's departure for South Africa.
Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy helped raise quite a few eyebrows as he evolved into India's most successful Test captain, winning 40 Tests in 68 matches. Kohli had said in September last year that he wanted to continue as ODI and Test captain after announcing his decision to quit T20I captaincy. However, Kohli was sacked as India's ODI captain in December following India's early exit at the T20 World Cup.
Kohli played as non-captain for the first time in more than 5 years in the ODI series against South Africa and hit 2 fifties even as the former skipper's body language came under the scanner.
Speaking to Shoaib Akhtar for the former Pakistan cricketer's YouTube channel, Ravi Shastri said a break from cricket will help the former captain recharge and return to give his best with the bat.
"The pressure started building. People were looking for opportunities. No human being is perfect. I have seen greats of the game quit captaincy to focus on their cricket whether it's Gavaskar, Tendulkar or MS. He played 94 Test, he could have easily played 10 or 15 more matches but he gave it up.
"He realises he is 33, he realises he has 5 years of good cricket ahead of him. If he can calm down, focus on his batting, take one game at a time, probably take a break from the game as well, I think, if he goes out for 2-3 months, if he takes a break from one series, it will do him a world of good," Shastri said.
