Former India pacer Ashish Nehra believes young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who was initially said to be M.S. Dhoni’s successor, needs backing of the team management for a longer duration.
“There are a lot of talented players but they should be backed for a longer duration. Today also when we talk about the number 5 and 6 slots in Indian ODI side, then we are not sure about it,” Nehra said while speaking to former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra on his show ‘Aakash Vani’.
“K.L. Rahul is playing on the 5th position and Pant, the person you were preparing to succeed M.S. Dhoni, is serving water,” he added. Before cricket was stopped due to coronavirus, Pant had lost his place in the Indian team in white-ball cricket to Rahul. Pant’s inconsistencies cost him as the Indian team management handed over the wicketkeeping gloves to Rahul, who took over the role with great ease.
“I know he has missed his chances and there is no doubt about it but then you have kept him in the team because you saw the potential in him at 22-23 years,” Nehra said. The former left-arm pacer also gave his views on Virat Kohli’s captaincy, saying the latter is still a work in progress when it comes to him in the role of a skipper.
“Virat Kohli as a player needs no recognition as his career graph tells the entire story. Kohli as a player has done amazingly well, in captaincy I still feel he is a work in progress. I can say he is a little bit impulsive captain,” said the 41-year-old. Nehra, who played 17 Tests, 120 ODIs and 27 T20Is, also said that the current Indian team is far from that of Australia of the 2000s.
“This Indian team is far from the Australia team. You are talking about an Australian team which won three consecutive World Cups, reached the final in 1996, won 18-19 Test matches in home and away conditions,” said Nehra, who still holds the record for best figures by an Indian bowler in World Cup.
“It’s not like this Indian team cannot reach there but I believe the core group is very important. A person gets confused after watching many dishes on the table and so it’s important to have fewer but better dishes,” he added.
Nehra also disagreed with India Kohli’s remark that ODIs hold little relevance this year.
Kohli, after India’s 0-3 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand, asserted that this format held very little relevance as compared to Tests and T20Is.
Nehra though feels that it wasn’t right on Kohli’s part to say this after he had lost a series. 
“If you win and tell this it’s a different thing. It’s wrong to say that the year is for T20s and so we don’t care about 50-over matches…if it doesn’t matter then why did you even come to play. Are you trying to tell that the Indian team didn’t try to win those ODI matches against New Zealand? I don’t agree with Virat Kohli’s statement,” Nehra said during his chat with Chopra.

I know I will be in a good position to start from where we left: Kohli
Star Sports has used the power of technology to engage with cricket fans and bring them voices of the world’s best former and current cricketers. 
On this week’s episode of Cricket Connected, Indian captain Virat Kohli will be interacting with host Jatin Sapru and a few of his young fans who will pepper King Kohli with questions, especially around what has been doing during the government mandated nation-wide lockdown period. Cricket Connected has developed an enjoyable format to engage with cricket fans and legends of the game through easy-going conversations. 
With the lockdown extended for another two weeks, cricket fans now have an opportunity to catch Kohli as he talks about daily routine at home and how he is keeping himself busy. 
The skipper also speaks about the importance of staying at home, finding motivation and focusing on fitness and training despite the limited conditions.
Kohli said on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected, “I am keeping myself positive and happy and just looking forward in life so that whenever I return to the game, I know I will be in a good position to start from where we left.”
While speaking to his fans, Kohli also talks about the things he misses while staying at home like the IPL, the excitement the tournament brings for the players and the fans and the magical moments that are created. 
Kohli even answers a few questions asked by his young fans around his unflappable mindset during batting. 
He emphasizes on how important it is to have a proper mindset especially while playing a sport, sending a strong message to all the young cricket aspirants in the country. 
On the episode, captain Kohli also catches up team mate Yuzvendra Chahal and reminisces their camaraderie.
Catch the two-part episode of Cricket Connected with captain Virat Kohli on May 9 and 10.
Meanwhile Australia opener David Warner has tried to name similarities between himself and India skipper Virat Kohli. 
Warner stated they both are driven by passion whenever they are out on the field playing for their respective countries.
“I can’t speak for Virat, obviously, but it’s almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong,” Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz in ‘Conversation’.
“If you’re in that contest, and if I’m going at him for example, you’re thinking, ‘Alright, I’m going to score more runs than him, I’m going to take a quick single on him’. 
“You are trying to better that person in that game. That’s where the passion comes from,” he added.