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.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said Virat Kohli is his first pick for Team India in T20Is and that he doesn’t understand why the Indian batting icon’s place is questioned despite having extraordinary numbers in the shortest format.
“I think people in India just always try to find a reason not to pick him” – Ricky Ponting on Virat Kohli ahead of T20 World Cup 2024
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said Virat Kohli is his first pick for Team India in T20Is and that he doesn’t understand why the Indian batting icon’s place is questioned despite having extraordinary numbers in the shortest format.
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.
Speaking on an episode of the ICC Review ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Ponting said Virat Kohli should stick to his natural game, which will allow others to bat freely around him.
“It’s funny with Virat. I think people in India just always try to find a reason not to pick him or a reason why he’s maybe not as good as some of these other guys in the T20 game. He (Kohli) is the first pick for me for India,” Ponting said.
“He can play his role at the top. And if you’ve got the right guys around him scoring (like) Suryakumar (Yadav)… Rohit Sharma’s going to have a high strike rate, these other guys can go in there and play their way,” he added.
The former Indian captain has been in supreme form in IPL 2024 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), amassing over 700 runs with a solitary hundred.
“Virat Kohli was one of the guys who got the job done” – Ricky Ponting
Ponting also reiterated that there have been multiple occasions when Virat Kohli stood up and got the job done while others failed. The 49-year-old elaborated:
“I remember having this chat and some other chats I did for the ICC about there’s some talk about Virat not being in their team only last year, but what happened when the big games come around, he was one of the guys who got the job done. So class and experience like that, you can’t replace.”
India’s T20 World Cup campaign begins on 5 June against Ireland before the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York takes centre stage for the epic India vs Pakistan clash on 9 June. They will later play tournament co-hosts USA and Canada to wrap up their Group A matches.