'Chup kar diya na sabko?': Shastri on Kohli's MCG classic vs PAK

The 'King is Back' exclaimed cricket fraternity as Virat Kohli's magnificent 82* on Sunday helped India avenge their 2021 T20 World Cup defeat to Pakistan in their tournament opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It has been a difficult year for the former India captain, relinquishing his leadership position before incurring a forgettable IPL season. But since his return to the sport last month, he has been in an impressive form which eventually led to his spectacular 82 against Pakistan. And Ravi Shastri, who closely followed Kohli's career, had the ultimate praise reserved for the star batter.

The year had started off with India losing the Test series in South Africa after which he had stepped down from Test captaincy role. He then struggled in IPL and also in the few matches he played for India in the summer which led to many, including Kapil Dev, questioning his place in the Indian T20I side for the World Cup. Kohli then went on a month-long break and returned to score a sensational 122 against Afghanistan which ended his three-year-long century drought. And a month later, Kohli produced yet another T20I classic, an unbeaten 82 that helped India beat Pakistan.

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"For him, this knock would have helped in rediscovery: of himself, his love for the game, what he can do, and the road ahead. Clarity would be crystal clear; it’s usually a byproduct of confidence. The rediscovery of things he would have fathomed during the break. For the cricketing world, he was a superstar even before the knock; now let them decide what he is to them. I am not going to put in words for them," Shastri told Indian Express.

Shastri felt that this knock was the perfect way to silence his critics who have been targetting him over the last few months.

"What’s next for Virat Kohli? I have no expectations, just let him enjoy his life. The media and critics have put enough pressure on this uncut diamond and he showed who he is. Chup kar diya na sabko?! (He has silenced everyone, right?!)"

The former India head coach also revealed that he saw a similarity between himself and Kohli and hence believed that the 33-year-old would always bounce back to form.

"I saw something similar to myself in Virat. To start from No. 10 and to open and do what I did, I am proud of it. You need balls. Virat is a superior talent than me of course, but I sensed a similarity of character. That drive. That steel. I saw an uncut diamond. When I saw him going through stuff in the last year or so, deep inside I wasn’t bothered as I knew he is too tough a character. I knew he would bounce back; the only thing was he needed to be in that space to self-reflect. Here is where that break helped. He is a wiser man now.

Without that temperament, he couldn’t have done what he did on Sunday night. It’s the best ever T20 game I have ever seen. For the first time I felt a T20 game was like a classic Test match. The ebbs, the flows, the pressure, the skill … it was a Test match of a T20. My cricketing take away from the game would be those two sixes against rapid pace in that situation. Unbelievable. Those will stay in my mind for a long time," he said.

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