Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel and Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal have stated that Virat Kohli faces more pressure compared to other batsmen in the ‘Fab 4’. Parthiv Patel and Tamim Iqbal said that fans have higher expectations for Virat Kohli as they expect him to score a century every time he bats.

Virat Kohli, Steven Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root are considered the best talents in modern cricket. Virat has fallen a bit of late after scoring a ton of runs over the last decade. The batsman has not been at his best since 2023, having scored just two half-centuries and two hundreds.

We expect Virat Kohli to score 100 points – Parthiv Patel

Virat Kohli has come under scrutiny after registering two low scores in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Parthiv Patel said he has set such high standards for himself that scoring 60 or 70 runs can feel like a failure.

“I don’t think I’m feeling that kind of pressure. And as you rightly mentioned, I don’t think Smith, Joe Root or Williamson can even think about the kind of pressure they must be feeling. The pressure of expectations, that’s huge,” he said. Patel, quoted by India Today.

“He has set his standard so high that even if he scores 60 or 70, that looks like a failure. Because every time he comes in, we expect him to score 100. We expect him to play with that kind of intensity, which he has always been playing,” he added.

The Delhi-born batsman managed just 6 and 17 runs in his two innings in the first Test against Bangladesh at Chepauk. He was caught short in the first innings after chasing a ball outside off stump. The right-handed batsman was handed LBW in the second innings after misjudging a fuller delivery.

The former Indian captain had struggled through a drought of almost two years without a Test century. He ended his Test century drought in March 2023 and his last ton in July 2023. Overall, Kohli scored 8,871 runs in 114 Test matches at an average of 48.74, including 29 centuries and 30 fifties.

You can’t win a game without help – Tamim Iqbal

In the same conversation, Tamim Iqbal highlighted Virat Kohli’s incomparable legacy in white-ball cricket. He said Kohli’s contributions to India’s success are unparalleled compared to the other members of the ‘Fab 4’.

The veteran Bangladesh opener acknowledged that all four have excelled in Test cricket but Kohli has single-handedly won numerous games. Iqbal also pointed out that Kohli faces more pressure than the other three players combined.

“And also, I think so, in Test cricket, the Fab 4 that we are talking about have done wonders. Because in Test cricket, basically as a batsman, you can’t win a game without help. There are two innings and everything,” Tamim said.

“But we also call them the Fab 4 in white-ball cricket and, without a doubt, what Kohli has done for India, the number of games he has single-handedly won, I’m pretty sure none of the other three have won “And as you mentioned, because of the amount of pressure he goes through, I think those three combined don’t have similar pressure,” he added.

Also Read: Hardik Pandya’s Test Cricket comeback blocked ahead of IND vs AUS Tests