"Does the Indian team deserve its senior player?": Pathan lashes out at Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli (Pic: File Pic)

Following the Test series loss against Australia, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan lambasted Virat Kohli for neither featuring in domestic cricket nor improving his technical flaws.

Irfan Pathan raised questions about Virat Kohli's place in the Indian squad and called for an end to the superstar culture on the Indian side.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were out of form throughout the Test series against Australia. With the series defeat, India lost their chance of losing out qualifying for the World Test Championship final.

Virat Kohli was only able to garner 190 runs in five Test matches and lost his wicket by constantly edging to the slips or wicketkeeper.

"We need to end superstar culture, we need team culture. You need to improve yourself and improve the Indian team. There were matches before this series, too, and they had an opportunity to play domestic cricket, but they didn't. We need to change that culture," Pathan told Star Sports.

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The former all-rounder said even the great Sachin Tendulkar played the Ranji Trophy even when it wasn't required of him only because he wanted to spend that much time, four or five days on the pitch

"When was the last time Virat Kohli played domestic cricket? (the host points out that Kohli's last first-class appearance for Delhi was in 2012) It has been more than a decade."

Pathan went to the extent of saying that maybe Kohli's place should be given to a youngster, given that he has averaged less than 30 in the first innings in the last five years.

"For the Indian team in 2024, in the first innings where you basically set up the match, Virat Kohli's average is 15. And if you consider his average over the last five years, it's not even 30.

"Does the Indian team deserve its senior player? Instead, give a youngster a chance. Tell him to get ready. He will also give an average of 25¿30. This is about the team, not the individuals."

Pathan also questioned if Virat Kohli was even serious about improving.

"When we talk about Virat Kohli, he has done a lot for India. He has delivered many performances. But you are getting out from the same mistake again and again.

"You are not creating a gap between two mistakes. You are not trying to fix the technical mistake. Sunny sir is in the field. How long does it take to talk to Sunny Sir or someone?"

Australia beat India by six wickets in the fifth and final Test to regain the Border Gavaskar trophy.

(With PTI Inputs)