'Kohli And Smith Have Slipped Down The Ranks... They'll Be Dangerous Because They're Hungry,' Says Ravi Shastri (Source: AP)
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri reflected on the form of veteran batters Steve Smith and Virat Kohli. The two cricket stalwarts have seen a significant dip in form in the last few years. The batting maestros saw counterparts Joe Root and Kane Williamson leapfrog them in the Fab 4 race.
Root has been batting on a different planet and got himself very close to breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in Test cricket. This year, Root has slammed six hundreds while Kane Williamson scored four hundreds. Kohli and Smith, on the other hand, could only score one hundred each in 2024.
Shastri said Kohli and Smith have fallen behind in the race but added the two are class players and will be hungry to get runs.
“I think they (Kohli and Smith) will have slipped down the ranks on the current form because you know you’ve got the likes of Root taking off, there’s Williamson doing well, Harry Brook has come onto the scene, you know there are a lot of other young players pushing but these are class players," Shastri was quoted as saying on The ICC Review.
“In a situation like this, you know they’ll be dangerous because they’ll be hungry," he added.
Shastri hailed Smith for his courageous innings at the GABBA where he scored his 33rd hundred. “What’s needed you saw from Smith. It might have been a struggle early on but he was prepared to play the waiting game and be disciplined," Shastri noted.
According to Shastri, Kohli’s form isn’t the issue; instead, it’s about surviving the critical early phase of his innings. “I think the same with Virat," Shastri added. “If Virat gets over that first 30, 40 minutes, with serious application and discipline, I don’t think he’s (out of form), none of these guys are out of form."
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