'Virat Kohli doesn't need Ranji Trophy': Ambati Rayadu's honest take on the batter's domestic return

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Feb 1, 2025, 16:40 IST

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Former cricketer Ambati Rayudu shares his view on Virat Kohli's return to Ranji Trophy, suggesting that Kohli needs time to regain his confidence rather than playing domestic cricket. Despite Kohli's recent struggles, Rayudu believes in Kohli's abilities and urges respect and patience for the batting icon to rediscover his form.

'Virat Kohli doesn't need Ranji Trophy': Ambati Rayadu's honest take on the batter's domestic return

Virat Kohli (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu has shared his perspective on Virat Kohli's return to Ranji Trophy after a gap of 13 years. Rayudu believes that Kohli, a veteran of the game, does not necessarily need to play in the Ranji Trophy at this stage of his career.
Instead, Rayudu suggests that Kohli requires time to regain his confidence and rediscover his spark.

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Kohli's return to the Ranji Trophy for Delhi was a mixed experience. While his team secured an impressive victory, Kohli's personal performance was underwhelming, as he could only score six runs in the solitary innings he played before being dismissed by an inswinging delivery from Himanshu Sangwan.

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Rayudu took to social media to express his thoughts on the matter. He emphasized that Kohli's technique, which has yielded 81 international centuries, remains sound and will continue to serve him well in the future.
Rayudu urged everyone to respect and believe in Kohli, and most importantly, to give him the space he needs to rediscover his form.
"Right now Virat Kohli doesn't need Ranji. His technique was good for 81 hundreds and it will be good going forward as well. No one shud force him into forcing himself for anything. He needs time to feel good about everything again. The spark within will ignite on its own.basically respect nd believe in him, most importantly leave him alone," Rayadu wrote on X.

Rayudu's comments come in the wake of Kohli's recent struggles across all formats, particularly in Test cricket. Since the start of 2020, Kohli has scored 2,028 runs in 39 Test matches at an average of 30.72, with only three centuries and nine fifties.

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His performances in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle and the previous year have been underwhelming, with his averages hovering around the mid-20s.
The key, according to Rayudu, is to respect and believe in Kohli's abilities while giving him the necessary support and understanding during this challenging phase of his career.

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