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Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has struggled in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Across seven matches, he has managed just 75 runs at an average of 10.71, with a highest score of 37.
Despite his lean patch, Kohli continues to be supported as an opener for Team India. In the semi-final, he was dismissed early by Reece Topley for only nine runs. This strategy of opening with him hasn’t yielded the desired results thus far, which is a concern for the team management heading into the final against South Africa on Saturday.
India posted a competitive total of 171/7 in the semi-final after being asked to bat first. Rohit Sharma’s 57 laid a solid foundation, while contributions from Hardik Pandya (23 off 13), Ravindra Jadeja (17* off 9), and Axar Patel (10 off 6) bolstered the score.
The Indian spinners dominated the proceedings, preventing England from gaining momentum in their chase. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel claimed three wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah took two, bowling out England for 103 and sealing a 68-run victory. This victory can be seen as a form of redemption for India after their loss to England in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final.
Despite India’s overall success, concerns persist regarding Virat Kohli’s form. After a prolific IPL season where he topped 700 runs and won the Orange Cap, Kohli has struggled to replicate that form in the T20 World Cup. He has often fallen cheaply while attempting to accelerate the scoring rate, which is an area the team will need to address moving forward.
Virat Kohli Deserves It: Rahul Dravid On India Winning T20 World Cup
Virat Kohli has been unable to score a fifty in this World Cup, underscoring his challenges in the tournament thus far. Despite this, both his coach and captain have expressed confidence that he will deliver in the final. Speaking to reporters after the match, coach Rahul Dravid emphasized that Kohli deserves success in this World Cup due to his immense contributions to Indian cricket over the years.
“You know with Virat, the thing is, when you play a slightly high-risk brand of cricket there can be times when it doesn’t come off. Even today, I thought he hit a good 6 to set the tempo but he was just unlucky that the ball seemed a little bit more.
“But I love the intent, I love the way he went about doing it. It sets a good example for the group as well if he’s willing to do it. And you know, for some reason, I don’t want to jinx it but I think there’s a big one coming up. I’m just loving his attitude and that he’s committing himself on the field – I think he deserves it,” said Rahul Dravid on Star Sports.
Rohit Sharma also supported Kohli, affirming that his current form doesn’t worry him and predicting that a significant innings is imminent from the star batsman.
“(Kohli) We understand his class. Form is never a problem when you’ve played for 15 years. Probably saving for the final,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation
India is set to challenge South Africa in the T20 World Cup final on Saturday. The Indian team aims to secure their second T20 World Cup title, while the Proteas are vying for their maiden championship in this format.
