“We must learn to respect our heroes” - Former India opener on Virat Kohli’s failures in BGT 2024-25

Former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu has slammed the critics targeting Virat Kohli after he failed to deliver in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). The 61-year-old pointed out that Kohli is often targeted alongside his wife, saying people have very short memory.

The cricketer-turned-commentator said he had no advice for Kohli, who has 80 international tons and nearly 10,000 runs in Tests. He added that the senior batter will find a way like in the past.

It's worth mentioning that Kohli overcame a similar challenge after the 2014 tour of England when James Anderson exposed him with outside off-stump deliveries.

Kohli managed 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75 in the recent five-game series despite an unbeaten 100 in the series opener in Perth. The 36-year-old was caught behind on all eight occasions.

Sidhu said on YouTube (via Sports Tak):

“It's not the first time that Virat Kohli is facing criticism. It’s not the first time. His wife gets dragged into these things. It’s wrong. We must learn to respect our heroes. Keep some patience.”

“If someone has scored 80 100s, near 10,000 runs [in Tests], you don’t need to tell him anything. He will go home, watch the video, and understand that his bat is going away from his body. He will find a solution like in the past. A great player always overcomes his circumstances,” he added.

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“My only advice to him is fitness” – Navjot Singh Sidhu wants Rohit Sharma to be fit like Virat Kohli for longevity in Tests

Navjot Singh Sidhu, meanwhile, asked captain Rohit Sharma to improve his fitness, citing Virat Kohli’s example. He also suggested the 37-year-old should improve his technique after managing just 31 runs in five innings Down Under. The cricketer-turned-commentator said in the same interaction:

“My only advice to him is fitness which Virat Kohli already has. The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.”

Rohit, who sat out of the fifth Test in Sydney, managed 164 runs in his last 15 innings at an average of 10.93, including one half-century. The senior player, however, has announced that he is not retiring from the longer version of the format.