Andy Roberts asks Kohli to focus on longer version, critiques Rohit’s captaincy

Andy Roberts, after calling Mohammed Shami better than Jasprit Bumrah, has now asked Virat Kohli to focus on Test cricket because he has been struggling for the last five years. 

“One of your best batsmen of all time has been struggling for the last five years,” the West Indian great told Mid-day. 

“He needs to be focused on the longer version of the game. You will get runs and score heavily in Test cricket only when you are fully focused on the longer form. The standard of Test cricket is not the same. The top batsmen look as if they are struggling,” added the man with 202 wickets in just 90 Test innings. 

Roberts is right in his assessment purely based on numbers. Kohli, since 2020 has averaged more than 50 only once- in 2023. He has also hit only three centuries in the last five years, totaling 1961 runs in 64 innings of 36 Tests since January 2020.

His average of 32.15 is not at all worthy of greatness. In the same period, other members of the Fab Four- Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson averaged 43.05, 54.72 and 62.72 respectively. 

The tall, intimidating fast bowler of the yesteryears did not stop only at criticising Kohli. Roberts also lambasted the Indian captain Rohit Sharma for serving advantage on a platter to the opposition by opting to bat first in the Day-Night Test. 

“Why did you guys bat first [in Adelaide]? India’s fast bowlers bowled Australia out cheaply in both innings (104 and 238) at Perth,” he asked. 

“If my fast bowlers outbowl the opposition pacers in the previous Test, I’m not going to give the rivals the first preference in the next Test. Remember, you are not playing on Indian pitches,” remarked Roberts.

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