'Time for Virat to prove why he is the best batter in the world': Warne expects Kohli to 'score hundreds in all formats'

Of all the similarities and comparisons drawn between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar, this one stands out. In 2007, Tendulkar, who had already racked up 78 international centuries, was struggling to get to the elusive three-figure mark. Between March of 2007 and January of 2008, Tendulkar was dismissed in the 90s seven times – thrice on 99. Four years later, the great man found himself in a similar boat as wait prolonged and frustration grew around the anticipation of his 100th century. However, during both these periods, the maximum Tendulkar went without a century was 12 months. He scored his 99th in the World Cup match against South Africa in March of 2011, before finally getting the monkey off his back in March 2012 completing the 100th hundred. 

Kohli on the other hand, has gone two years and two months without a century. Like Tendulkar, Kohli is no stranger to scoring centuries – he has 70 of those and no one else in the modern era even comes close. In 2019, when he smoked back-to-back centuries against West Indies, it seemed it was only a matter of time that he would go past the great Tendulkar, and in some speed. But over two years later, its possibility is dimming further with every Kohli dismissal. With bio-bubble life and workload management becoming an integral part of Indian cricket, Kohli, 33, finds himself in a race against time even as clamours for his 71st century grows louder.

But there is hope, now more than ever. With Kohli no longer serving as India's captain in any format, what better time than now for the batter in him to take centre-stage once more, believes the legendary Shane Warne. Not that Kohli is struggling. Throw that misconception out of the window. While the number of ducks might have increased in Tests and his average fallen under 30 in 2021, his ODI numbers have been prolific – in last 16 innings, Kohli has scored 10 half-centuries. It's true – Kohli is a prisoner of his own greatness.

"There is just so much expectation. It’s so difficult to be captain of India in all forms of the game and then play the IPL as well. Everyone looks for him to comment, to be the leader so I’m looking forward to watching Virat bat now. Get someone else to take the captaincy, let someone else do all that and allow Virat getting back to being the best in the world. I'm really looking forward to that," Warne told Hindustan Times in an interaction.

Surprised with Kohli's decision to step down as Test captain, Warne feels that for anyone to have captained the Indian team for as long as Virat has, it is normal for a champion player to go through a little slump. But now that the responsibility of captaincy is behind him, Warne expects Kohli to express himself by scoring truckloads of runs and once again establish himself as the world’s best batter.

"I was a little surprised like everyone. Virat has been a wonderful captain for India but it’s also very tough with the expectations of over a billion people. It’s going to be really tough for him… I don't think anyone could captain India for a long period of time in all forms of the game and continue to bat at a higher level. So I think it's a great opportunity now for Virat to go back and prove to himself and everyone why he is the best batter in the world. And hope he can concentrate on his batting and start making hundreds in all forms of the game again. I hope that’s what happens. He has inspired his teammates. India have played a fantastic brand of cricket and let's hope that continues."

Warne chipped in on Australia's dominating 4-1 Ashes win over England, saying that while England were under-par with their cricket Down Under, the Aussies were relentless in their quest to reclaim the urn. Their margin of victories were by 9 wickets, 275 runs, an innings and nine runs and 146 runs – that's how ruthless Pat Cummins and his men were. And had it not been for a rearguard effort from James Anderson and Stuart Broad for the final wicket in Sydney, Australia would have completed a 5-0 whitewash. Warne admitted England messed up a lot of their basics, from team selection to drop catches, but gave credit to Australia for delivering such a thumping result.

"England are a better side than they showed in Australia. They are a better side than that. But having said that, I thought Australia played wonderful cricket. England just made basic errors, they got their selections wrong, dropped too many catches, there were wickets off no balls… all the basic stuff they just got wrong. And with Australia playing so well, and England not, the gap was so big," said Warne.