Pragyan Ojha has come out in Virat's defense and stated that the former Indian captain is striking the ball well and just need a few runs to get going. Ojha, in conversation with Jamie Alter, said that he doesn't think there's an issue with Virat's skill or anything else.
"By comeback, I am talking about getting runs. Once a batter of his stature gets going, things will change drastically. I am hearing that after the West Indies tour, he will be available for all the series thereon, which is a great thing. I don't think there is an issue in his skill or anything else."
Ojha added that sometimes, it is more about the mental side of the game.
He's been batting well, but sometimes it is about the mental aspect. Keep in mind the schedule. Look at Ben Stokes, he just said 'boss, we're not vehicles that you just put petrol and we start running'. This affects everybody. But, Virat must play every chance he gets because if you don't play how will you get the confidence?"
Ojha further went on to say that burnout may be one of the reasons that Kohli has been taking regular breaks.
"When you look at Virat's batting, it is not about the skill or timing it well or even about his fitness. He's just there, and I think better than others with his work ethic and discipline. The only thing is that maybe mentally he's a little caught up somewhere. Maybe that's why he's been regularly taking breaks."
He finished by saying that according to him, Virat should have played the West Indies series, but also added that you never know how all these bio-bubbles affect people.
"We have to understand that the last couple of years were very challenging with the bio bubbles. You never know how it affects someone. Personally, I feel that he should have been there in the West Indies because this was a great opportunity for him to make a comeback and get some great runs.
Virat is expected to play the three-match ODI series vs Zimbabwe.
