Virat Kohli and David Warner ahead of an IPL match (File pic).© BCCI/IPL
Australia opener David Warner has backed India Test captain Virat Kohli to come out of his rough patch with the bat. Praising the Indian cricket star, Warner said players like Kohli have been able to “earn the right to fail” because of their consistent performances over the years. Kohli hasn’t scored an international century since 2019. He was also recently replaced by Rohit Sharma as India’s white-ball captain by the Indian selectors. “There are a lot of people talking about Virat Kohli’s form over the last couple of years. We have gone through a pandemic. He has just had a baby, you know. We only see how well he has done. You are allowed to fail,” Warner said while speaking on the chat show ‘Backstage with Boria’.
“You are allowed to fail. You earn the right to fail when you are so good at what you do,” he reiterated.
Warner also cited the example of Australia teammate Steve Smith, saying that batters like Smith and Kohli face “a lot more pressure”.
“Steve Smith hasn’t scored a hundred in his fourth innings – because stats say one in (every) four innings, he scores a hundred – he is human,” Warner said.
Promoted
“You are allowed to have a rough trot, you know. That’s why, I think there is a lot more pressure on those guys; but they won’t feel they pressure. I guarantee they would not feel the pressure at all,” Warner added.
Kohli is currently leading India in the three-match Test series in South Africa, although he had to sit out the second Test in Johannesburg due to a back spasm.
Topics mentioned in this article