 "Virat is a big-occasion player: Dhoni")
It has been a lull for Virat Kohli in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is standing firmly behind his deputy and expressing confidence that Kohli will come good on a big day as he is a "big-occasion player".
Kohli, who had four Test hundreds in four-match Test series, scored a hundred in the Cup opener against Pakistan, but in the next six games since then he has had scores of 46, 33 not out, 33, 44 not out, 38 and 3.
Asked if it was a case of poor shot selection rather than good bowling from the opposition, Dhoni didn't seem to agree.
In fact, Dhoni feels it is unfair to expect Kohli to fire every time he goes out to bat. "Not that he has got a century every time he has gone out to bat. Maybe we are relating to the Test series, and expect him to scores a hundred each time he is there in the middle," Dhoni said, seeking to put an end to the unnecessary expectations.
Dhoni is happy that Kohli is "focused on the process".
"He is concentrating on the process. He is a big-occasion player and will fire on a big day," the skipper added.
Kohli, who had four Test hundreds in four-match Test series, scored a hundred in the Cup opener against Pakistan, but in the next six games since then he has had scores of 46, 33 not out, 33, 44 not out, 38 and 3.
Asked if it was a case of poor shot selection rather than good bowling from the opposition, Dhoni didn't seem to agree.
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"I don't think poor shot selection is the case. He is a dominant batsman and loves playing his strokes. I don't think he has batted badly at all," said the skipper, batting for Kohli at a post-match press conference after India's quarter-final win against Bangladesh.
In fact, Dhoni feels it is unfair to expect Kohli to fire every time he goes out to bat. "Not that he has got a century every time he has gone out to bat. Maybe we are relating to the Test series, and expect him to scores a hundred each time he is there in the middle," Dhoni said, seeking to put an end to the unnecessary expectations.
Dhoni is happy that Kohli is "focused on the process".
"He is concentrating on the process. He is a big-occasion player and will fire on a big day," the skipper added.