RCB's poor run will not affect Kohli at World Cup: Ferguson

Royal Challengers Bangalore's poor IPL run is in no way a reflection of skipper Virat Kohli's acumen, who will come good for India at the upcoming World Cup, feels New Zealand and Kolkata Knight Riders speedster Lockie Ferguson.

Kohli has scored 278 runs from eight matches at an average of 34.75 but RCB have suffered seven defeats in eight matches to be all but out of contention for a playoff berth.

"He's (Kohli) an international superstar. I think playing for RCB is a lot of different than playing for India," Ferguson, who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, told PTI in an interview here.

"It's a completely different competition, different team, different formats. I wouldn't look into too much how he's been going in. Personally he's been scoring runs," he reasoned.

On Friday, RCB will take on KKR, who are also smarting from three successive losses.

"In T20, potentially Kohli hasn't got the wins that he would have liked in at the start of the competition. But that's not to say that he's going to go badly at the World Cup," said Ferguson, who had dismissed Kohli with a short ball in their first ODI in Napier earlier this year.

The Auckland-born pacer also rated Indian left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan highly.

"He came to New Zealand to play some T20s. Once again, a very good International cricketer. He's doing very well here in the IPL (for Delhi Capitals)."
"It's the travelling part that actually takes quite a bit of a toll. For me personally playing games, getting experience and game time is only going to help me. By no reason it's a toll. I think it will help going forward into the World Cup."