Does Virat Kohli deserve a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad?
Let us travel a little back in time, shall we? It is November 2019. Virat Kohli enjoying a fun time out in the field with the bat against Bangladesh. Walking out to bat at the magnificent Eden Gardens, in at No. 3, and piling up runs like it is routine business. A pink-ball Test for India, and Kohli aces the game with perfection to get his 70th international century. That’s what the stalwart is known for, and that is exactly what he did.
A visual treat to the eyes for not just the fans at the stadium, but every single person watching him play. As he claimed his century, every expert and supporter acknowledged Kohli as the finest in the field.
Cut to 2022, and the question of the hour – Does Virat Kohli deserve a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad? Reading the question might hurt an avid cricket follower who knows what Kohli has done for the nation and the game. But the struggle that the 33-year-old has been going through for the past couple of years has raised concerns.
Kohli has so far featured in four T20Is for India in 2022, accumulating figures of 17, 52, 1, and 11. There was a time when the No. 3 spot in the lineup was reserved for Kohli because no other batter could do justice to that position like Kohli. But today, there are talks and discussions about which batter can replace him at No. 3.
No doubt, there are a bunch of players who are giving their best to reserve their place in the team, but should that come at the cost of keeping one of the most experienced players out of the team at a global event?
Kohli has been the pivot of the Indian batting line-up. However, his skills seem to have waned, at least temporarily, if not permanently. Although Kohli is not the type of batter who just fires off from the beginning, it has appeared that he is straining too much.
The fact that Team India has finally realized the necessity of attacking right away in order to achieve the right shot of consistently recording scores of 180-200 has made it even more troublesome for Kohli, who is facing difficulty playing the fast-paced game. In order to keep up with the needs of the game, Kohli put out his everything while playing, which ma, or may not have a direct effect on his slump. But the experience that the stylish batter holds is incomparable.
It’s true that resting Kohli is a difficult choice. The ardent defence of Kohli offered by captain Rohit Sharma amid the batter’s poor form demonstrates how crucial Kohli is to the team. The good news is that India has a load of games scheduled to give everyone a chance and ultimately make the decision that would benefit Team India the most. It would be best if the question is left unanswered at the moment.
