"If he scores a fifty in first match, all mouths will be shut" Ex-IND Coach makes a bold statement on Virat ahead of Asia Cup

The Asia Cup is just a few days away, and the top six Asian teams will square off against each other to conquer the Asian region and show their dominance. Notably, this is an ideal chance for every team to check their preparations before the T20 World Cup starts in October.

India and Pakistan will enter the tournament as favorites. But the most talked-about point is the form of the former Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, who has been going through a rough patch for almost three years now. It has been more than 1000 days since the 33-year-old last scored an international century.

Many former cricketers have criticised him for not making a significant contribution in recent times and have asked the BCCI to drop the former skipper from India's T20 team. On the other hand, many current and former cricketers, including Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and many more, have backed the 33-year-old.

However, without a doubt, this Asia Cup will be very crucial for Virat to make his case strong for the upcoming T20 World Cup as the likes of Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson are in contention for the No. 3 role.

Former Indian head coach, Ravi Shastri, has made a strong statement on Virat's struggle. Shastri, who was the head coach in the last T20 World Cup, said that the 33-year-old needs just one inning to make his comeback. He also said that if Virat could manage to score a half-century in the first game against Pakistan, that would be enough.

Notably, the former skipper is coming back after an extended break, as he was rested from the West Indies and Zimbabwe tours. However, his recent form is certainly one of the biggest talking points in the world of cricket.

During a presser by Star Sports, Shastri said that he hasn't been in touch with Virat in recent times, but he needs just one good innings and everyone will forget about his bad form, and as a "big guy", he knows how to make a comeback.

The former head coach added, "The downtime for Kohli was good before the Asia Cup gave him a good chance to reflect. If he manages to get a fifty in the match against Pakistan, mouths will be shut. One innings can make a difference. He needs one innings to get back because the hunger is undiminished."

He also highlighted that in the Indian team, no other player is fitter than Virat, so if he plays one good innings, that will be enough for his confidence to be in the right place. India will face Pakistan in their opening encounter at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, August 28. In the last meeting against their arch rivals in the T20 World Cup, Virat scored a half-century in the losing cause.