Ravi Shastri feels if needed Indian players should take a break from IPL

Former India coach Ravi Shastri feels that bating giant Virat Kohli is mentally "overcooked" and needs to take a break from cricket in order to serve the country for at least another six-seven years. Kohli has been going through a lean patch with just two 40-plus scores to show in the last eight innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the current IPL season.

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The 33-year-old from Delhi hasn't scored a century in the last 100 matches across formats. He had also stepped down from T20 captaincy both for India and RCB and also quit Test leadership. Meanwhile, he was removed from the ODI skipper's role.

Shastri feels the likes of Kohli need to be handled with care and empathy. Moreover, amid the COVID-19 restrictions that have confined players inside bio-bubbles.

"I am going straight to the main guy here. Virat Kohli is overcooked. If anyone needs a break, it's him,. Whether it's 2 months or a month-and-a-half, whether it's after England or before England. He needs a break because he has got 6-7 years of cricket left in him and you don't want to lose that with a fried brain."

Former India coach Ravi Shastri told Star Sports

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"When I was coach at the time when this first started, the first thing I said is you have to show empathy to the guys": Ravi Shastri

Virat Kohli was out for back-to-back two ducks on Tuesday and Saturday against Lucknow and Hyderabad. In both the games Kohli got out on his first ball.

"When I was coach at the time when this first started, the first thing I said is you have to show empathy to the guys. If you're going to be forceful, there is a very thin line there. From a guy losing the plot as opposed to him hanging in there and giving his best. So you have to be extremely careful."

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Shastri said there might be one or two players in world cricket going through the same problem. Shastri feels this needs to be addressed upfront. Meanwhile, former England captain Kevin Pietersen said Kohli should take time away from the game as well as social media to rejuvenate himself. "...the guy has had so much to deal with, from marriage to baby to media scrutiny and all on his personal life. He is the biggest star on the show," he said.