Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has expressed strong belief in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli‘s ability to lead India to victory in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Dubai. Addressing concerns about their recent dip in form, Kaif urged fans not to discount the potential of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to deliver under pressure, emphasizing their track record of rising to the occasion in critical moments.
In his recent YouTube video, Kaif highlighted the crucial role both players have played in India’s ODI success, pointing to their performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup as evidence of their ability to thrive on the big stage. Despite Rohit and Virat Kohli experiencing rough patches, Kaif remains confident that their experience and skill will be pivotal in India’s Champions Trophy campaign.
Virat Kohli’s Inconsistent Form and Resilience
Virat Kohli’s recent performances have been underwhelming, particularly during India’s 1-3 series loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although he started the series with a century in Perth, his form tapered off, managing just 95 runs in the subsequent matches. Kohli’s susceptibility to deliveries in the off-stump corridor became a recurring issue, with eight of his 10 dismissals coming from edges to the slips or wicketkeeper.
However, Kaif pointed out that Virat Kohli’s 2023 ODI World Cup performance speaks volumes about his ability to bounce back. The star batter amassed a tournament-high 765 runs in 11 matches at a staggering average of 95.62, proving he can still deliver when it matters most.
While Rohit has also faced criticism for his recent performances, his ODI stats offer a different narrative. In 2023, he accumulated 1,255 runs in 27 matches, showcasing his ability to anchor innings and provide explosive starts. His contributions were instrumental during the 2023 World Cup, where he finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 597 runs at an average of 54.27, including one century and three fifties.
Kaif urged the Indian team to plan better and be more aggressive in their approach.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif backs under-fire batter Virat Kohli ahead of ICC 2025 Champions Trophy
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has backed under-fire Virat Kohli ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that with 50 tons and 13906 runs in ODIs, Virat Kohli’s record speaks for itself.
The 44-year-old spoke about the relevance of Virat Kohli in Dubai, where he smashed a century in his last outing against Afghanistan in 2022. He concluded that Kohli is a king in white-ball cricket.
The positive remarks came after Virat Kohli failed to deliver with the bat in his last 10 Tests, managing 382 runs in 19 innings at an average of 22.47. The 36-year-old Virat Kohli also returned with scores of 14, 24, and 20 in the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka in 2024, when India lost by a 0-2 margin. He kept getting out by nicking outside off stump deliveries throughout the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Kaif said on his YouTube channel:
” Virat Kohli never accepts defeat and always makes a comeback. Don’t write him off in white ball cricket, the picture is far from over because he has 50 ODI tons to his name and nearly 13,000 runs in ODIs. So, forget what happened in Tests.”
“He plays differently in white ball. The last time Virat Kohli played in Dubai, he scored an unbeaten 122 off 61 balls against Afghanistan and smashed six sixes in his innings. His form was excellent and he loves playing in Dubai so, I expect him to do well with the bat in the Champions Trophy.
If he scores well in the opening game, then he will keep scoring runs, I can take that guarantee. Virat Kohli white ball me ek betaaj badshah hai (Virat Kohli is an uncrowned king in white ball cricket). The era has not ended, it will continue,” he added.
Mohammad Kaif lauds Virat Kohli’s fitness
Mohammad Kaif further shared an example of why Virat Kohli is rated amongst the fittest athletes in the world. He shared how Kohli beat the challenging conditions, scoring a century against New Zealand in the 2023 ODI World Cup before fielding the entire innings. Kaif said in the same video:
” Virat Kohli against New Zealand, semifinal match of the World Cup. It was Wankhede Stadium and timing was around 2.30 pm. When his batting came, there was no wind (breeze), it was too hot and T-shirts were soaked in sweat. He comes out to bat, scored 100,”
“Shubman Gill was in front of him, who was 23-years-old and Kohli was 34-years-old. He scored his 100 by running between the wickets. Gill got a cramp and he left the ground but Kohli kept batting, he also fielded. He took slip catches, and completed fielding full innings.”
“The conditions were sunny, with no breeze, testing conditions in terms of fitness but he scored 100. India won that match. In the final, he scored 50 against Australia in the final but the team lost. He won Player of the Series but he wasn’t feeling good.
He said, ‘This trophy is not important to me, if I had scored 100 I would have been a champion.’ Six months later, he went for the T20 World Cup, hit 76 in the final, and received two trophies – Player of the Match and the World Cup title,” he added.
Virat Kohli amassed 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of 95.62 at 2023 World Cup. He smashed three tons and six half-centuries. Mohammad Kaif stressed that both players have the experience and skill to handle the pressures of international tournaments. With the Champions Trophy looming, India will rely on the proven match-winning capabilities of Rohit and Kohli to spearhead their batting efforts.