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Virat Kohli's poor form has generated various opinions from cricket experts across the world. Recently, former England spinner Monty Panesar has also expressed his views over the 33-year-old batter's dismal run in international cricket.
Virat Kohli once again failed to make a mark in the second ODI against England. He ended up scoring just 16 runs which has led the cricket fraternity to question his persistency in the Indian squad.
However, despite Virat' poor run, Monty Panesar opined that BCCI can't afford to drop the Indian batter due to financial reasons.
While talking to the Times of India, Monty Panesar has compared the fan following of Virat Kohli with football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and said, "It's like Cristiano Ronaldo. Whenever Ronaldo plays for Manchester United, everyone's watching the football. Virat Kohli is the same. He has got a huge following and attraction."
"Are BCCI under pressure too, regardless of whatever the result and role Virat Kohli has to play, to keep the sponsors happy? That's probably the biggest question. They can't drop him or afford to drop him because they'll probably lose huge financial sponsorship," he added.
Panesar praised the intensity of Kohli and asserted, "The difficulty here is that he is the most marketable cricketer in the world. Fans love him a lot. We all just love Virat and his intensity. Sometimes, it's borderline but he's very much admired in England. So, from the BCCI's perspective, they've got to sit down and decide."
"From a financial perspective, other boards gained so much from Virat Kohli. But is Virat really good for the India side right now? But then would it mean at the expense of them not winning a T20 World Cup or a 50-over World Cup? That's the biggest question at the moment," the former spinner further said.
