'Virat Kohli should return to Test cricket as captain'

Dubai: Virat Kohli has already stepped away from Test and T20 cricket and each time there is speculation on when he’s going to step away from all formats. But his performance in the Indian Premier League opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad tell a very different story. The way he kicked off his Indian Premier League campaign on Saturday against Sunrisers Hyderabad told a very different story. Kohli underlined his enduring class with a superb unbeaten 69, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a comfortable chase of 202 against Hyderabad. His innings drew widespread praise, including from Ambati Rayudu, who believes the veteran is nowhere near the end of his career.

“I don’t think he is anywhere close to the end of his career. I think he still has five or six quality years left in him and, as Sanjay Bangar and I were discussing earlier, he should make a comeback in Test cricket as well — hopefully as a captain,” Rayudu told ESPNcricinfo.

Kohli looked completely in control during the chase, producing a range of elegant strokes, including a lofted straight drive and his signature flick for six. His performance sparked strong reactions, with Rayudu doubling down on his praise.

“We are serious. He is the best red-ball captain I have seen in Indian cricket, and the way he is batting now, it is a loss for Indian cricket,” he added.

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar hailed Kohli as the team’s leading “chasemaster.”

“Virat Kohli is our number one chase master, as we know. I always admired his batting, and to watch his batting from the dugout, the way he played, the way he played his shots, the way he assessed the situation, I think that was really good to see always,” Patidar said.

Patidar also praised RCB’s pace bowler Jacob Duffy, describing him as a dependable T20 specialist whose execution has stood out.

“He’s a specialist T20 bowler, and we have a lot of confidence in him. That’s why we have given him a chance, but as we all know, he’s a specialist bowler and the way he’s delivering, the way he’s showing his skill, I think that is tremendous,” he added.

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also highlighted Kohli’s relentless intensity and energy on the field.

“I find him quite bizarre at this age. I tell him this during our chats now and then. He was batting on 40-odd, there was a partnership going on, and RCB were coasting. He ran through for the first single, stopped there, and the other batter hadn’t even reached halfway, but he was already looking for a second. That was a 57-metre boundary on the leg side, and it shows the enthusiasm he still brings to the game. He walks the talk. It’s almost like he’s putting on a show for people to see how the game should be played, play it hard and play it the way it’s meant to be played. That stood out to me with respect to what Virat did. And if this is the way RCB are going to bat, Virat just needs to bat the full 20 overs,” Ashwin said on JioHotstar.

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