A few days after the Indian Premier League 2024 ends, the T20 World Cup 2024 gets underway, giving India another chance to break their ICC trophy drought. Many players will be vying for a spot in India’s 15-person squad for the West Indies and USA T20 World Cup in 2024. India’s think tank will be closely examining player performances as the current IPL season is viewed as an audition for the prestigious ICC event, with some squad spots still up for grabs.
Virat Kohli, who is sporting the Orange Cap after smashing 316 runs in five innings at an average of 105.33 and a strike rate of 146.30 this season, will still be the focal point of India’s batting attack.
In the IPL 2024, the right-hander has hit three scores of fifty or more. Against the Rajasthan Royals, he hit the highest score of 113 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, an undefeated team.
Compared to his IPL strike rate of 130.63, Kohli’s strike rate while opening the batting for RCB this season has been much higher. It will be intriguing to observe, though, how the Men in Blue use Kohli during the T20 World Cup.
This season, Kohli has suited up as an aggressor for the Royal Challengers (RCB), but he has also demonstrated that, when necessary, he can still lead an innings. That is demonstrated by his 113 against Rajasthan and his 83 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders.
In light of this, let us examine the kind of role that Kohli might be assigned for the T20 World Cup in June.
In the T20 World Cup, Kohli
Since making his international debut, the former captain of India has been a genuine match-winner for his country. He has amassed 1,141 runs in 25 innings during T20 World Cups, hitting at a strike rate exceeding 130 and an exceptional average of 81.50.
In addition to his incredible stats, he won the Player of the Tournament award both in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups.
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His game-winning strikes in pivotal matches—72* against South Africa (2014), 82* against Australia (2016), and the historic 82* against Pakistan (2022)—remain unparalleled and hold a special place in the hearts of Indian supporters. It is interesting to note that during each of these knocks, Kohli held up one end while wickets fell at the other.
What is offered by West Indian pitches?
The bounce and pace of pitches in the West Indies have been impacted by changes in soil composition and moisture levels. These days, slow tracks that resemble those in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and a few other subcontinental locations are more common in the Caribbean than anywhere else.
When the pitch is slow and the ball lacks pace, Kohli can be extremely destructive, making him a threat to both sides.
West Indies T20I record for Kohli
Played innings: 3.
112 runs were scored.
37.33 on average
Rate of strikes: 141.77
His T20I averages in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where he averages 94.40 and 55.83, respectively, are equally remarkable.
What role does “Anchor” Kohli play in India’s Twenty20 plans?
India’s top run scorer in the format, Kohli, has amassed 4,037 runs at an average of 51.75 across 117 matches. In the Asia Cup 2022, he hit an incredible 122* and 37 fifties against Afghanistan. Although he can still do better than his strike rate of 138.15, he has already demonstrated that, if needed, he can attack bowlers right away.
Aside from the three Asian Games matches in China in 2023, India participated in 20 Twenty20 Internationals. Batters like Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Shreyas Iyer were preferred over Kohli, who was not included in any of them.
Following the 2022 T20 World Cup, Kohli had a protracted period of injury. He made his T20 international debut against Afghanistan in February 2024. In the two-game series, he only managed 29 runs, but at a strike rate of 170.58.
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However, it should be noted that Kohli’s most recent century—67 balls—against the Rajasthan Royals in the 2024 Indian Premier League was the slowest century in league history.
These days, batters are more aggressive right from the start because of the significant changes in T20 dynamics over time. In fact, two team scores in IPL 2024 have broken records this year: KKR’s 272 against DC and SRH’s 277 against MI.
Nevertheless, it seems sensible to include Kohli in India’s squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, even though the pitches in the West Indies might not allow for many high-scoring matches. Alongside the swashbuckling and aggressive styles of Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Rohit Sharma, and Shivam Dube, his presence in the middle order as an anchor will provide balance.
India has produced many outstanding cricket players throughout history, but in the present era, Virat Kohli stands apart. Given his ability to play according to match situations and his extensive experience in the high-stakes pressure situations that are synonymous with ICC events, making Kohli the anchor of the team makes perfect sense, especially with opening batting candidates Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill all vying for a spot in the T20 World Cup.
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