Virat Kohli is considered to be the greatest player of the current era due to his pyrotechnics on and off the field, his availability for the upcoming mega event the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 has grown huge interests amongst cricket lovers and fans . Virat Kohli over the years have burdened Indian hopes on his shoulders through immaculate innings in the shortest format of the game will like to give his all in conquest of the elusive ICC title.
Though not playing T20I cricket over a year now the likes of Virat Kohli still remains a popular choice to play in shortest format. The other poster boy of Indian cricket who has carried India’s dream on his shoulder and an successful captain for his franchise in the Indian Premier league, current Indian captain Rohit Sharma is now brewing the headlines with a success on South Africa tour.
The swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma has once again made himself available to captain India for the upcoming mega event the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 which could be his final journey in the conquest of the coveted ICC Title. With the next big thing the ICC World T20 Cup 2024 set to take place in June and the schedule being out for the same, IPL 2024 would be a event for practicing for the ultimate world title in June.
Virat Kohli record in World T20Is and IPL 2024
Virat Kohli is the highest run-getter in T20 World Cup history, having accumulated 1141 runs in 27 matches at 81.50, with 14 half-centuries. He overtook Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene in the 2022 edition. The 35-year-old also ended up as the highest run-getter in three T20 World Cup editions and has received two Player of the Tournament awards.
Virat Kohli made astonishing 741 runs an orange cap performance in IPL 2024 opening the batting for Royal Challengers Bengaluru(RCB) with a staggering strike rate with the bat of 154.69 opening the batting for RCB and was the architect of RCB’s royal comeback to the Playoffs. Adding to 5 half centuries and 1 century with 62 fours and 38 sixes enthralled the fans just before the marquee event.
We are less than a week away from the start of the much-anticipated T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. While India start favourites, one understands that senior players – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – would be key to the side’s fortunes. Claiming that a lot has changed from 2022, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar reckoned Kohli is an absolutely different player in T20Is than what he used to be two seasons ago.
Sanjay Manjrekar expects India’s experienced star Virat Kohli to have a better T20 World Cup
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes star batter Virat Kohli has taken his T20 game to the next level and to where it should be in terms of modern-day cricket in the shortest format. Kohli had been pretty vocal in hitting back at his critics who commented on his strike rate not being as high as required.
However, while the former Indian captain did claim that he knew what needed to be done, Manjrekar believes the criticism and the ‘outside noise’ helped the star batter push his limits and realize he had to be more explosive as a batter.
In his column for the Hindustan Times, here’s what Sanjay Manjrekar wrote about Virat Kohli and the changes he saw in his T20 batting:
“Rohit and Virat will not commit the same mistakes made in that semis (2022 vs England). It’s worth acknowledging that Virat is not the same T20 player he was two years ago. He must know deep down, surely, that the ‘outside noise’ has actually made him a better T20 batter today than he was two years ago.”
Kohli won the Orange Cap with 741 runs in IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 154.70. Manjrekar wants the veteran batter to play fearlessly and not focus on batting for long as he believes it will be crucial for India to get quick runs.
Sanjay Manjrekar on India’s bowling attack
Sanjay Manjrekar opined that it made little sense to him to have two left-arm spinning all-rounders in Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja in India’s T20 World Cup squad. He felt that Varun Chakravarthy would have been a better option as it would have given the Men in Blue more variety in their spin attack.
On this, Manjrekar stated:
“I would have personally preferred a Varun Chakravarthy in the squad over an Axar Patel, who is almost a replica of Ravindra Jadeja in T20s. Again, this selection shows India’s cautious approach to ICC selections. Axar’s batting has a lot to do with his inclusion. I would have strengthened my spin attack, considering the seam attack is a little thin with Mohammed Shami absent.”
Yuzvendra Chahal didn’t have the best of IPL seasons as he picked up just 18 wickets in 15 games and was expensive with an economy rate of 9.41. However, Manjrekar isn’t worried about the leg-spinner’s form as he believes the conditions in the Caribbean would be ideal for Chahal.