Monty Panesar's brazen take on Virat Kohli's Test retirement; highlights vulnerability: 'Hasn't worked out solutions'
Monty Panesar has made a bold claim about Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket ahead of the big England tour. The former spinner pointed out Kohli's vulnerability outside off-stump and suggested that it could be the reason behind his big decision not to face England during a low phase in his Test career. The Indian batting maestro struggled in the last Test series he played before retirement on the Australian tour, where he scored a century in the first match but then struggled in the remaining matches. He failed to find a solution for his recurring struggles with the ball outside the off-stump, and the Aussie pacers took advantage of it.
Kohli endured a forgettable England tour in 2014, where his vulnerability outside the off-stump was exposed in front of the world for the first time. However, he made changes to his stance and staged a stellar turnaround in the 2018 tour to counter James Anderson and Co.
In the past couple of years, his struggles outside the off-stump have resurfaced, leading to a dip in form and bringing his Test average down to below 50.
Panesar, who played 50 Tests and helped England to a rare Test series win in India back in 2012, reckons Kohli would have found it tougher to deal with the moving ball around the off-stump than on his previous tours of England.
"With Kohli, what has happened is that against the ball outside the off stump, the fifth stump line, especially in Australia on fast bouncy pitches he was struggling," the left-arm spinner told PTI.
"So he probably thought maybe the fact that in England it is going to swing a lot more, he'll probably hasn't worked out solutions in that corridor of uncertainty
"And I think that's probably been one of the reasons why he thought to retire and put all his energy with RCB and ODI cricket for India."
However, the former English spinner Kohli was praised for his outstanding Test career, adding that his decision to step away was likely driven by a desire to create opportunities for the next generation.
"I think he's done very well as a cricketer in all formats. He has been a brilliant ambassador for Test cricket. He probably feels that he's done his best, he's achieved everything and probably feels like it's time for the youngsters to step up," he added.
Panesar pointed out that Kohli managed to bounce back successfully in 2018, but attempting a similar comeback at this stage of his career would be significantly more difficult.
"It would be a lot tougher for Kohli to repeat the same performances of2018. Just simple fact that he's been struggling over the last 12 to 18 months with that ball outside off stump. He hasn't got a solution for that, you know problem that he has on fourth and fifth stump.
"So he's thinking it's better for Indian cricket to give youngsters a go and hopefully find the next superstar," said Panesar, who is commentating on the Saurashtra Pro T20 League.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
39 minutes ago
- Mint
WTC Final 2025: Steve Smith registers series of milestones at Lord's; check details
Steve Smith played was brilliant with bat during the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's, London on Wednesday (June 11). The Australian registered a series of significant milestones on Day 1 of the Test against South Africa. Steve Smith played a 66-run knock off 112 deliveries on Day 1 and helped to stabilize Australia's innings. The star batter surpassed cricketing greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Don Bradman, and Ajinkya Rahane in various record categories. Here's a detailed look at Smith's performance and the different feats achieved Steve Smith smashed fifty in the WTC final and registered his 7th fifty-plus score in ICC knockout matches. He surpassed Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar's tally of six. While Smith now leads Tendulkar in fifty-plus scores, he trails India's Virat Kohli, who dominates ICC knockouts. Virat Kohli: 1,024 runs in 22 matches, 1 century, 9 fifties. Steve Smith: 650 runs in 13 matches, 2 centuries, 5 fifties. Sachin Tendulkar: 682 runs in 15 matches, 1 century, 5 fifties. Steve Smith scored 66 runs in the final and became the leading run-getter among visiting batters in Test matches at Lord's. He surpassed Australian great Warren Bardsley to top the list. His record at the iconic venue includes three fifties and two centuries, with a career-best 215 during the 2015 Ashes. List of top run-scorers at Lord's among visiting batters Steve Smith (Australia): 591 runs in 10 innings Warren Bardsley (Australia): 575 runs in 7 innings Garry Sobers (West Indies): 571 runs in 9 innings Don Bradman (Australia): 551 runs in 8 innings Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies): 512 runs in 9 innings Steve Smith moved past India's Ajinkya Rahane to become the leading run-scorer in WTC final history. His second fifty-plus score in WTC finals, achieved off just 74 deliveries, highlights his consistency in the format. The top run-scorers in the WTC finals Steve Smith (Australia): 201 runs in 3 innings Ajinkya Rahane (India): 199 runs in 4 innings Travis Head (Australia): 192 runs in 3 innings Rohit Sharma (India): 122 runs in 4 innings Virat Kohli (India): 120 runs in 4 innings South Africa's decision to bowl first went in their favour as Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, dismantled the Australian batting line-up. The Kangaroos were struggling at 67/4 in the opening session. However, Smith came to bat and anchored the innings to contribute significant runs in the total of 212. His innings ended when part-time spinner Aiden Markram dismissed him for 66. Steve Smith has equaled Ricky Ponting's record for the most ICC tournament final appearances, reaching his sixth final. Smith's ICC final appearances include the 2010 T20 World Cup, 2015 ODI World Cup, 2021 T20 World Cup, 2023 World Test Championship, 2023 ODI World Cup, and the ongoing 2025 WTC Final. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma lead with nine appearances each, followed by Ravindra Jadeja with eight and Yuvraj Singh with seven. Smith, a former leg-spinner turned elite batter, has won four of his five previous ICC finals.
The Hindu
43 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Steve Smith has maximum runs as overseas player at Lord's; scores 66 runs in WTC final
Former Australian captain Steve Smith became the highest run-getter among overseas players in the longest format of the game at London's iconic Stadium, Lord's, during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa on Wednesday. The 36-year-old player scored 66 runs off 112 balls which was laced 10 boundaries. With this innings, Steve Smith now has a total of 591 runs in the six matches where he has featured in 10 innings at the Lord's. The right-hand batter scored these runs at an average of 59.10 with the help of three fifties and two hundreds. His highest score at Home of Cricket is 215. The batters below him are Australia's Warren Bardsley (575 runs in 5 matches), West Indies' Garfield St Aubrun Sobers (571 runs in 5 matches), Australia' Don Bradman (551 runs in 4 matches), and West Indies' Shivnarine Chandrapaul (512 runs in 5 matches). During the match, Steve Smith also overtook legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, climbing up to the second spot among batters with the highest number of fifty-plus scores in ICC tournament knockout matches. Smith continues solidifying his legacy as the ultimate clutch batter for Australia, with yet another half-century against the Proteas during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's. Walking in with Australia at 16/2, Smith's fluency was on showcase as he scored 66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours. His runs came at a strike rate of 58.92. This is Smith's seventh fifty-plus score in ICC event knockout matches, overtaking Tendulkar, who had six such scores in 15 matches, scoring 682 runs at an average of 48.71 with a century and five fifties. India's Virat Kohli remains the undisputed king of ICC knockout matches, being the only player to have made 1,000 runs in such matches. He has made 1,024 runs in 22 matches and 24 innings at an average of 51.20, with a century and nine fifties (a total of 10 fifty-plus scores) and best score of 117 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinal at Mumbai. Coming to the match, SA won the toss and opted to bowl first, reducing Australia to 67/4 at the end of the first session. However, fifties from Smith (66) and Beau Webster (55*) took Australia to 190/6 at the end of the second session. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen being standout bowlers with two wickets each.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Dressing room seems like a funeral, but we can still qualify: Marquez after Hong Kong defeat
"The dressing room is like a funeral (site)," said Indian football head coach Manolo Marquez as he struggled to explain the 0-1 loss to Hong Kong here even though he remained optimistic about the team's chances of qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. India conceded in the fifth minute of stoppage time on Tuesday, slumping to a second straight goalless outing in Asian Cup qualifiers, jeopardising their chances of qualifying for the Asian Cup. '...we are not very happy. We are sad. The dressing room is like a funeral, practically,' Marquez said when a question on the future of the team came up, insisting that it was not the time to dwell on that aspect. '...But I still think that India has possibilities to qualify,' he declared nonetheless in the post-match press conference. Ranked 26 places above their opponents in the FIFA charts, the Indians were undone by poor finishing and lack of composure in key moments. India should have taken the lead in the 35th minute when Ashique Kuruniyan misjudged the delivery and fluffed a golden chance from close range. 'The game is easy to speak. Two teams fighting and that's all. Without too many chances. I think both teams defended both with order and one action. This is football,' he said, trying hard to find the right words to explain the performance. India now have just one point from two matches in Group C. With only the group winners advancing to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, the task ahead would be arduous. '...we are not in a good moment. In terms of scores, it's difficult for us to score. But it's true that the team played with more order than in other games. This is true. But, unfortunately, we couldn't get any points here.' Marquez also lamented his side's inability to settle for a point. 'I repeat again, it's for me a very equal game and unfortunately for us, practically in the last action, we lost at least one point and Hong Kong have three points. I told in the dressing room, obviously we want to win. 'But sometimes the team doesn't know how to draw. And today, if you couldn't win the game before the minute 90-91, at least try to be in a position to avoid the defeat. But I feel that India is still in the fight.' Asked how India can fix their scoring woes, the coach responded with an honest reflection. 'Sometimes you never know. One day, this is not a problem of the national team, it's in clubs also. Sometimes there are four, five, six games that you don't score and suddenly you score three-four goals...' However, he steered clear of criticising individual players but conceded that at times, nerves are getting the better of them. 'I cannot say nothing negative about the players. I think that the effort was there, the attitude was there, the plan of the game was there. In some moments, I feel that we can play better with the ball and be more brave,' he said. 'But this is about the situation that the team is not winning and the players are a little nervous. In some actions that the pass is clear, we are a little nervous,' he admitted. Since taking over from Igor Stimac last year, Marquez has overseen eight matches with only one win — a 3-0 friendly victory over Maldives. India have drawn four and lost three, including both critical Asian Cup qualifiers. The team has scored just five times while conceding nine, failing to find the net in their last three outings.
