• Virat Kohli missed the first ODI against England with a groyne injury.
• Babar Azam is number one in the MRF Tyres ICC batting rankings for both ODIs and T20Is.
• India batsman has gone 77 international innings without scoring three figures.

Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, has spoken out in support of Virat Kohli after the latter’s recent drop in form. Kohli missed the first ODI against England with a groyne injury, and India lost by 100 runs at Lord’s.

After scores of 1 and 11 in T20Is and failures in the postponed fifth Test, the right-hander has gone 77 consecutive international innings without reaching three figures.

Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal are also rested for India’s tour of the West Indies.

With a T20 World Cup and World Test Championship points needed for next year’s final, Kohli’s place in the team has been questioned by fans and previous stars, but his Pakistani opponent has extended his support via social media.

This too shall pass. Stay strong. #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/ozr7BFFgXt

— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) July 14, 2022

Few people understand as well as Pakistan’s captain, who is currently in good form, how hard it is to stay at the top of your game.

Babar is number one in the MRF Tyres ICC batting rankings for both ODIs and T20Is, and he is number four in the Test rankings. He has scored centuries in recent international series against Australia and the West Indies, and he scored a half-century in a T20I against Australia in Lahore last month.

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