Virat Kohli has to do well in Test cricket, Indian team depends on him: Sourav Ganguly

Virat Kohli has returned to his best after a poor run that lasted for almost two years. The 34-year-old was sensational in the T20 World Cup in Australia and also managed to score three centuries in his last nine ODI matches. However, the Delhi-born cricketer is yet to display his form in Test cricket. He could not do much in the two-match series against Bangladesh and thus, there’s a reason to worry at the moment, especially with Australia touring India for a four-match series, starting February 9.

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, however, has backed the cricketer and expects him to do well in the longest format of the game as well. The 50-year-old mentioned that the Indian cricket team depends on him in Test cricket and  therefore, he needs to step up and deliver again.

“Virat Kohli is doing good. He has done well against Bangladesh and Srilanka. He has to do well at Test Cricket also because the Indian cricket team depends on him. The Australia series is coming soon and I hope it will be a very good one. I want India and Australia to play the World Test Championship Final,” Ganguly said while speaking to India Today.

Selectors, coach should keep team together till World Cup: Ganguly

Last-minute chops and changes have created a lot of problems for the Indian team in the recent past. Just before the ODI World Cup 2019, Ambati Rayudu was dropped for Vijay Shankar while in the T20 World Cup, Varun Chakravarthy was picked ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal despite the latter being the favourite to play until that point. Thus, the selectors have made quite a few surprising calls and Ganguly doesn’t want that anymore.

He requested the selectors and coach Rahul Dravid to keep the same team until the World Cup as he believes that the Indian team can finally end the drought and lift an ICC trophy.

“Indian side is very strong. India can't be a bad team. In our country, there are lots of players who play cricket. Half of them don't get a chance in the national team as the competition is very high. I want this team to play till World Cup. I want that the selectors and Rahul Dravid should keep this team together till [2023 ODI] World Cup.

"Just they have to play the World Cup fearlessly, they have to keep calm. They are a good team. All the players are good. This team has Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja will also come back. And this is a very strong team,” he added.

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