'If R Ashwin can be dropped from Tests, so can Virat Kohli from T20Is' - Kapil Dev

Calls for Virat Kohli to be dropped for Team India have risen due to his prolonged lean patch. Meanwhile, Kapil Dev, too, has called for the same, drawing a comparison with R Ashwin's drop.

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It has been a long, extended and frustrating turbulent phase for former Indian skipper and top-order batter Virat Kohli. While he hasn't scored a competitive century in any form of cricket since 2019, even regular breaks do not seem to be helping him find back his lost form, and he has been averaging around 20.00 across formats. As a result, regular calls have been made for him to be dropped from the national side. At the same time, legendary former Indian skipper and all-rounder Kapil Dev has also asked for Kohli to be dropped from the Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), compared to all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin's drop from Tests.

"Yes, now the situation is such that you might be forced to bench Kohli from T20 playing eleven. If world No. 2 bowler Ashwin can be dropped from the Test side, then World No. 1 batter can also be dropped. Virat is not batting at the level we have seen him do over the years. He has made a name because of his performances, but if he isn't performing, then you can't keep the performing youngsters out of the team," Kapil told ABP News.

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"I want competition for places in the team in a positive sense that these youngsters should try and outperform Virat. You can call it to rest, and someone else will call it dropped. Every person will have their view. If selectors don't pick him [Kohli], then it could be because a big player isn't performing," added Kapil.

"Play in-form players when you have loads of options. You can't just go by reputation; you have to look for the current form. You can be an established player, but that doesn't mean that you will be given chances even if you fail five games in a row," Kapil concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)