Virat Kohli Had To Dig Deep To Get Out Of Recent Slump, Says Shikhar Dhawan

Senior India player Shikhar Dhawan gave a rare glimpse into the life of Virat Kohli on Saturday, saying that the former India captain had to dig deep into his process to get out of the long slump that he went through recently.

Kohli had not scored a hundred for nearly three years before getting his 71st international hundred in a Super Four Game of Asia Cup 2022 against Afghanistan in August.

Dhawan said all cricketers go through such a phase during their career and it is the process that they have believed in from their formative years.

"When someone does not perform, you go through stress. You dig deeper and go through self-reflection. Every phase in life teaches you something and it is about the journey and not the destination. Once the individual realises that it is about the journey, it is more fun," Dhawan said on the matter.

After getting back his form in the Asia Cup 2022, Kohli has gone from strength to strength and is currently doing well in the ongoing Men's T20 World Cup in Australia.

Asked about Kohli's change of fortune from the Pakistan game in the T20 World Cup, Dhawan said that for a cricketer like Virat Kohli, it was more important to follow the process rather than listen to the criticism about his performances.

"Fans believe in the end result and their emotions are moulded by the end result, but cricketers do not think that way. They have their process, and they believe in it and that is where the difference lies.

"As a sportsman, you have to have the strength and willpower to shield yourself from negative comments. If you start getting affected by it, your positivity goes away," Dhawan explained how a player deals with criticism.

The batter wished Kohli his 34th birthday and wished him the best of luck for his future. "Virat Kohli is doing very well in this tournament, so many congratulations to him. I wish him a very happy birthday, from the depth of my heart. India is peaking at the right time and I am rooting for them," Dhawan said.

Dhawan said Kohli's self-belief, strong willpower, and positive mindset helped him overcome the rough patch.

"Virat's self-belief is very strong, his mindset is very positive when you talk to him and it's all about how you talk to yourself. You can be your best friend or your own victim, that is totally dependent on you. He is quite disciplined as well, he ate everything and was quite fat and he changed all of that with his willpower. This mixed with his skill got him success," Dhawan said in the India Today Conclave on Saturday.

Asked if there was something special about Delhi players, Dhawan said that it was their bold attitude in the field that sets them apart.

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"For the players from Delhi belt, that have strength and boldness to perform that is why Delhi players are special," Dhawan said.