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R Ashwin mentioned that he never had any doubts on Virat Kohli’s quality as the batting icon delivered a knock for the ages against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Champoins Trophy: Axar Patel celebrates Virat Kohli’s hundred and India’s win over Pakistan (AP)
The former Indian cricketer, Ravichandran Ashwin never doubted Virat Kohli despite the massive criticism the batting icon had received on his tendency to get caught outside the off-stump line in Test cricket.
This comes after Kohli struck a fine century against arch-rivals Pakistan in the recently-concluded fixture in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai to help India take the win by six-wickets and put one foot into the semi-final.
Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Ash ki Baat, talked about how he did not really read into Kohli’s recent manner of dismissals and explained how the conditions were not so easy for the batters, particularly in India’s recent tour of Australia.
“I never had any doubt about Virat’s quality. When we were playing in Australia, people were criticizing that he was nicking the ball in the slips. People should understand that there was grass on the wicket and it was red ball cricket and he was nicking in Test match cricket. And there was so much talk over that,” he commented.
“One gets out in the slips, one gets out clean bowled and one also is out as LBW. He was getting out in slips. Okay, what is there in that? I don’t read massively into it,” he added.
Looking back at the knock, Ashwin maintains that Kohli’s class has always been present and ODI cricket, which has been Kohli’s best format in numbers, could pave the way for the batting great’s second coming with knocks like this only improving his confidence down the line.
“Virat’s class has not gone anywhere. I always said Virat Kohli’s engine room is ODI cricket. I am glad he is playing ODI cricket and this well could be his second coming. His confidence will only increase,” said Ashwin.
The off-spinning great also revealed how he had a gut feeling that Kohli would whip up something great and hailed his former team-mate on his stellar achievements like reaching 14,000 runs in ODI cricket.
“We were saying prior to the match that it could be Virat Kohli’s game and I had a good gut feeling. What an absolute stellar knock by Virat Kohli. 51st ODI hundred and 14,000 runs in ODI cricket, 60-70 matches less than the previous best batsman. What more can I say? He is an amazing player,” Ashwin concluded.
