Ian Chappell criticizes Virat Kohli's behavior, suggests improvement for future
What's the story
Former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell has slammed Virat Kohli's behavior in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Writing in his ESPNcricinfo column, Chappell said he was confident Kohli would find his form again but stressed on the need for consistency.
He also pointed out an incident involving 19-year-old Sam Konstas, calling it one of Kohli's "senseless antics."
Kohli has been in a downward spiral in Test cricket.
Performance review
Chappell addresses Kohli's performance in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Kohli's performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a rollercoaster ride.
Although he started on a high with a century in the opener in Perth, his form dipped in the series.
He frequently lost his wicket by edging balls outside off stump, finishing with 190 runs from five Tests.
Chappell stressed that consistency is the name of the game for Kohli to find his form and contribute to the team.
Retirement implications
Chappell warns of potential impact of Kohli's retirement
Chappell warned if Kohli retires, it would be a huge loss for the Indian team.
He pointed out India do not have any Test matches lined up before their England tour in June.
The team will go straight into this series after IPL 2025, a preparation method Chappell deemed suboptimal for such an important overseas Test series.
Captaincy debate
Chappell's take on Indian Test captaincy
Chappell also weighed in on the debate regarding India's next Test captain, saying KL Rahul could be an ideal choice as a leader.
He praised Bumrah's skills as a bowler and skipper but emphasized the need for support in both departments.
About Rohit Sharma's future, Chappell said he wasn't sure if he could continue playing Test cricket with technical struggles and a five-Test series against England approaching.
Lean patch
Kohli's lean patch in 2024
Kohli endured a lean patch in 2024. He scored 417 runs from 10 Tests at a moderate average of 24.52. The tally includes a ton and a fifty from 19 innings.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Kohli's average has dipped to 31.81 since 2021. He owns 1,912 runs from 36 matches (63 innings) in this period.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli's career Test average fell to its lowest since 2016.