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India’s offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced his support for India’s strategy of persisting with Virat Kohli as an opener for the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa. Despite Kohli’s lean run in the tournament, accumulating only 75 runs across seven matches at an average of 10.71, he has consistently partnered with Rohit Sharma at the top of the order throughout the competition.
Amid suggestions from various quarters to move Kohli back to his familiar No. 3 position, where he has found substantial success in his career, the Indian team management appears resolute in their decision to retain him as an opener. As the final showdown approaches, it appears unlikely that there will be any alteration to India’s batting order strategy.
Ravichandran Ashwin rubbishes claims of moving Virat Kohli down to No. 3
While speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin argued that Virat Kohli’s batting spot isn’t even a debate and he should keep playing as an opener.
“Everyone is saying that we should open Jaiswal, instead of Dube and play Virat No. 3. Why fix something that’s not broken? Rishabh is playing in No. 3. As far as I know, it’s not a debate,” Ashwin said.
India have Yashasvi Jaiswal in their squad as the third opener behind Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli but the youngster is yet to play a game. Many experts believe that a talented player like Jaiswal shouldn’t be on the bench.
Robin Uthappa backs Virat Kohli to score big in the final
In a recent video, Robin Uthappa expressed his confidence in Virat Kohli’s ability to deliver a match-winning performance in the upcoming final. Uthappa highlighted Kohli’s reputation as a player who thrives in high-pressure situations, suggesting that Kohli might play an innings of significant impact and potentially remain unbeaten by the end of India’s innings.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Virat is going to play a match-winning innings in this game. For me, he is a big match player. There is no bigger match. As far as I know, you won’t get a bigger match like this in T20 cricket. You get it once in two years. It’s the biggest game in T20 cricket that happens once in two years,” Uthappa said.
“So, there is no bigger stage for a big player like Virat Kohli to go out there and set the world alight. So, I’m backing Virat to get a 50-plus score. Maybe even a not-out score in this game,” he added.
Virat Kohli is anticipated to encounter a formidable challenge when he confronts South Africa’s formidable bowling attack in the upcoming match. Amidst his current struggles with form, Kohli faces heightened pressure to perform on the grand stage and silence his detractors.
Adding to the stakes, Kohli carries the weight of past experience in T20 World Cup finals. In the 2014 edition, he showcased his prowess with a brilliant innings of 77 runs off 58 balls, leading India’s charge. Despite his stellar performance, India ultimately fell short in that final match.
