'Average players look at averages': Mohammad Rizwan draws Virat Kohli's example to explain his batting philosophy

Virat Kohli (L) with Mohammad Rizwan during the 2021 T20 World Cup

Pakistan’s star wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has spoken in detail about his batting approach, drawing reference from India’s star batter Virat Kohli. Rizwan gave the India great’s example as he explained his own batting philosophy of putting the team’s goals above his own.

During an interview with Cricbuzz, Rizwan was asked about balancing his roles in ODIs and T20Is; while the wicketkeeper-batter is positioned in the middle-order in the fifty-over format, Rizwan opens for Pakistan in the T20s.

Also read: Pathum Nissanka becomes first Sri Lankan to smash ODI double century; surpasses Tendulkar, Sehwag, Gayle for insane feat

He stated that he only bats in the way that his team requires him to, and doesn’t put much emphasis on his averages in the two formats.

“Firstly, the teams that you are representing… keep that [role] in front and if you think of yourself in that case… like players who think, ‘let me save myself’, he won’t go far,” Rizwan said.

“Those players who look at averages are average players. If someone is performing, it will be there in the stats for people to see. Like, say India’s Virat Kohli, he is getting his average higher but he is not focusing on that because average players looks at average and big players will look at the team and the situation.

“My focus remains on what is the requirement of the team. The team says, ‘Rizwan, look at the board and play accordingly’. I maintain the same thing in my own life, too, but it is not easy. In T20, playing the new ball and in ODI, go after 25 overs when the ball is a bit old…. that is not easy and it is a mind game,” Rizwan said.

The Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter was last in action during the T20I series in New Zealand, which the visitors lost 1-4. While Pakistan have no other matches scheduled till May, almost all of their first-team stars including Rizwan will take part in the Pakistan Super League, which begins February 17.

Virat Kohli, meanwhile, has been away from action since last month’s T20I series against Afghanistan. He made himself unavailable due to personal reasons for the first two Tests against England and reports suggest Kohli is set to miss the third and fourth Test of the series too.

Read more news like this on HindustanTimes.com