Updated: December 14, 2020 2:22:31 pm
Virat Kohli came close to being eliminated after 6 tests in January 2012, when his batting average had been 21.27. (File photo / BCCI)
Virat Kohli came close to being withdrawn from the Indian team after six tests following a series of low scores during the 2011/12 Australia tour, but then-India captain MS Dhoni backed him up, said Sanjay Manjrekar. Kohli restored the faith by scoring 75 on the next test in Perth, then reached his first century of testing in Adelaide at age 23.
“Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli. He always finds ways to score runs. The hundred he scored in the 2011/12 series, India lost 0-4. And I think that was the only century recorded by an Indian in that series. He was a young man who was actually about to get carried away by Sydney. Dhoni supported him; he played in Perth he scored 70, and then he got those 100, “Manjrekar said on Sony Sports Network.
Kohli had made his debut against the West Indies the year before, but found his place under initial pressure after posting scores of 11, 0, 23 and 9 in the first two rounds of the 2011/12 series.
Kohli’s place was under threat before the third round of the series in Perth, Manjrekar revealed. He went on to do 44 and 75 on that test, and then scored his first century test in Adelaide a week later.
“The thing about Virat Kohli is that later, in 2014/15, it reached four hundred,” Manjrekar added.
I would still drop VVS and steal me for the next test. It makes sense in the long run. give virat 1 more try … just to be sure it doesn’t belong here.
– Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) January 6, 2012
“I would still leave VVS and get Rohit for the next test. It makes sense in the long run. give Virat 1 more try … just to be sure it doesn’t belong here, ”Manjrekar tweeted in 2012.
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