Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has lambasted Virat Kohli for his lack of willingness to "improve" himself, saying India "need to end superstar culture". Pathan’s comments came in the aftermath of the team’s 1-3 series defeat in Australia.
Having made an excellent start to the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a historic win in the series opener in Perth, India lost their way and the series 1-3 thereafter. This is the first time Australia have lifted the trophy in 10 years, having last won in 2014-15 at home. A series of poor batting performances coupled with over-reliance on Jasprit Bumrah were the major reasons for India’s downfall.
One of India’s biggest letdowns was Kohli, who barring a hundred in the second innings in Perth, failed to rack up any score of note. He eventually finished with 190 runs at an average of 23.75 across the eight innings. Scott Boland particularly tormented him, dismissing him four times in the series.
Pathan tears into Kohli
Pathan didn’t mince his words while speaking on Kohli’s prolonged lean run with the bat, calling the batter out for his lack of participation in domestic cricket and his lack of effort to rectify technical mistakes.
"We need to end superstar culture, we need team culture. You need to improve yourself and improve the Indian team. There were matches before this series, too, and they had an opportunity to play domestic cricket, but they didn't. We need to change that culture," Pathan said on Star Sports after the Sydney Test.
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Pathan added: "When was the last time Virat Kohli played domestic cricket? (Kohli's last domestic red-ball match came in 2012 for Delhi) It has been more than a decade. Even Sachin Tendulkar has played domestic cricket more recently, and he has retired.
"We are not degrading Virat Kohli. He has scored a lot of runs and played superbly for India, but you are repeating the same mistake again and again.
"Sunny sir (Sunil Gavaskar) has pointed it out, and he is here at the ground. How long does it take to come to Sunny sir and talk about that mistake? It takes hard work to rectify that mistake, and I didn't see any of that."
Pathan: Even a youngster can match Virat Kohli's output in the last five years
Pathan has questioned Kohli's place in the side given his poor record in the last five years. Kohli's Test average has now nosedived below 47 for the first time since 2016.
"In the first innings of Tests in 2024, where the match is set by a batter, Virat Kohli averages 15. Kohli's average in the last five years is not even 30. Does the Indian team deserve this for their senior player?" he asked.
"Instead of this, give a youngster consistent rope, even he will give an average of 25-30. This is about the team, not an individual."
Pathan was not the only one to point out the reluctance of Kohli to play first-class cricket as head coach Gautam Gambhir too hinted on those lines albeit not as vehemently as the former India all-rounder.
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