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MELBOURNE: Australian great Ricky Ponting believes T20 cricket is an “older person’s game” and experienced players like Virat Kohli tend to find a way to overcome tough times and achieve success.
Ponting said Kohli was a “champion player of the game in all three formats” and India were reaping the benefits of sticking with him as he returned in style to lift hopes of their second World Cup title in the format after 15 years flare up
After ending his 1,021-day century drought with a stunning 122 not out from 61 balls against Afghanistan at the Asia Cup in September, Kohli has been at the forefront of India’s success at the ongoing T20 World Cup as they approach to the semi-finals. .
“India are now reaping the benefits of keeping him there and if they go to the next stage, I’m sure he will also do something big in one of the finals,” the two-time World Cup-winning captain was quoted as saying. said by the ICC website.
Kohli, who turned 34 on Saturday, was the leading run-scorer (220 runs) in the ongoing T20 World Cup and was dismissed only once in four innings.
India take on Zimbabwe in their Super 12 final here on Sunday.
“I’ve also learned over the years from the T20 game that I’ve been involved in, it’s more of an older man’s game, or older person’s game, than a young man’s game.
“Just with the knowledge and the know-how and the expertise in situations like Virat has been faced with a few times.
“They’ve done it before, and they tend to find a way to get it done more often than not.”
Ponting firmly believed that the out-of-form Kohli would turn it around and urged the Indian selectors to persevere with him.
“He was a champion player of the game in all three formats for a long period of time,” Ponting said.
“One thing I’ve learned about champion players, especially in this game, is that you just never write them off. They always tend to find a way, especially when it matters most, to dig deep enough and ‘ find a way to get a job done.”
Not recalling his 82 not out against Pakistan, Ponting hailed India’s Super 12 opener against Pakistan as one of the greatest sporting spectacles.
“If you turn the clock back about a week, this tournament starts; India, Pakistan, here at the MCG – that’s what I thought could happen.
“Virat rolls back the clock a bit, plays a match-winning knock, is man of the match in what I think is one of the best sporting spectacles I’ve ever seen,” Ponting said of the epic four-wicket win wickets by India.
Kohli took a month’s break from cricket ahead of the Asia in the UAE, battling poor form and mental issues.
Ponting said the support of family and teammates would also have been crucial in his return to form.
“(It’s) a great learning experience for Virat as a cricketer, to actually get to a point in his career when he needed to change, do something different,” Ponting said.
“We know he’s always been a hard worker, he’s always been fit, always looked after his diet and been a good trainer. It worked for him until a certain period where he had to look elsewhere and find other ways find to get. back to being a great player again.
“At the end of the day, we’re all playing the game to try to do the right thing by our family, by our teammates and our fans. And that’s probably the order in which it goes, to be honest.
“You want to make your family proud, you want to win games for your teammates and you want the people who come to watch, whether it’s at the venue or through the TV screens, you want them to be proud of what you did too.”
Ponting said Kohli was a “champion player of the game in all three formats” and India were reaping the benefits of sticking with him as he returned in style to lift hopes of their second World Cup title in the format after 15 years flare up
After ending his 1,021-day century drought with a stunning 122 not out from 61 balls against Afghanistan at the Asia Cup in September, Kohli has been at the forefront of India’s success at the ongoing T20 World Cup as they approach to the semi-finals. .
“India are now reaping the benefits of keeping him there and if they go to the next stage, I’m sure he will also do something big in one of the finals,” the two-time World Cup-winning captain was quoted as saying. said by the ICC website.
Kohli, who turned 34 on Saturday, was the leading run-scorer (220 runs) in the ongoing T20 World Cup and was dismissed only once in four innings.
India take on Zimbabwe in their Super 12 final here on Sunday.
“I’ve also learned over the years from the T20 game that I’ve been involved in, it’s more of an older man’s game, or older person’s game, than a young man’s game.
“Just with the knowledge and the know-how and the expertise in situations like Virat has been faced with a few times.
“They’ve done it before, and they tend to find a way to get it done more often than not.”
Ponting firmly believed that the out-of-form Kohli would turn it around and urged the Indian selectors to persevere with him.
“He was a champion player of the game in all three formats for a long period of time,” Ponting said.
“One thing I’ve learned about champion players, especially in this game, is that you just never write them off. They always tend to find a way, especially when it matters most, to dig deep enough and ‘ find a way to get a job done.”
Not recalling his 82 not out against Pakistan, Ponting hailed India’s Super 12 opener against Pakistan as one of the greatest sporting spectacles.
“If you turn the clock back about a week, this tournament starts; India, Pakistan, here at the MCG – that’s what I thought could happen.
“Virat rolls back the clock a bit, plays a match-winning knock, is man of the match in what I think is one of the best sporting spectacles I’ve ever seen,” Ponting said of the epic four-wicket win wickets by India.
Kohli took a month’s break from cricket ahead of the Asia in the UAE, battling poor form and mental issues.
Ponting said the support of family and teammates would also have been crucial in his return to form.
“(It’s) a great learning experience for Virat as a cricketer, to actually get to a point in his career when he needed to change, do something different,” Ponting said.
“We know he’s always been a hard worker, he’s always been fit, always looked after his diet and been a good trainer. It worked for him until a certain period where he had to look elsewhere and find other ways find to get. back to being a great player again.
“At the end of the day, we’re all playing the game to try to do the right thing by our family, by our teammates and our fans. And that’s probably the order in which it goes, to be honest.
“You want to make your family proud, you want to win games for your teammates and you want the people who come to watch, whether it’s at the venue or through the TV screens, you want them to be proud of what you did too.”
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