The year 2023 ended in heartbreak for India, as the Men in Blue bossed their World Cup campaign, only to fall to Australia at the final stage on home turf.
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2024 presents an immediate opportunity to redeem themselves, as the T20 World Cup is set to take place in June in the West Indies and USA. The burning question ahead of the global event as far as India are concerned, is whether or not Rohit Sharma and/or Virat Kohli will be on the plane.
Ahead of the World Cup, India will be playing only three T20Is, against Afghanistan in January. In all likelihood, the squad picked for that series will be the one that goes to the World Cup. But will Kohli be included?
Virat Kohli's T20 record - Star India batsman's runs and strike rate in T20Is detailed
The India star's last T20 in Indian colours was in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal, where he scored 50 before the Men in Blue lost to England by 10 wickets. Since then, the team has taken part in seven bilateral series, none of which Kohli has been a part.
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In fact, his only T20 matches since 2022 came in the IPL, for Royal Challengers Bangalore and he will play for them again in 2024 ahead of the T20 World Cup. But RCB is a different set-up with different players. Here is a look at Kohli's returns in international T20 matches.
| Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | High Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 107 | 4008 | 52.7 | 138.0 | 122* |
While the ODI format is his best one, Kohli is no slouch when it comes to the shortest form of the game. He is the highest run-scorer in T20I history, and the only player with over 4000 runs. Given his longevity and ability, this is no surprise. The question is whether he scores at a good enough pace.
| Name | Team | Strike Rate | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evin Lewis | West Indies | 152.0 | 29.9 |
| Ivan Selemani | Tanzania | 151.5 | 25.3 |
| Jos Buttler | England | 150.9 | 46.9 |
| George Munsey | Scotland | 143.5 | 30.0 |
| Aaron Finch | Australia | 141.9 | 32.7 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 141.4 | 32.4 |
| David Warner | Australia | 140.8 | 32.9 |
| Chris Gayle | West Indies | 137.8 | 28.2 |
| Jason Roy | England | 137.6 | 24.1 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 137.6 | 55.6 |
Kohli is an excellent run accumulator, but he is a relatively slow scorer compared to other international batters who occupy the top three batting positions. The combination of his strike rate and average means he is a batter who is likely to score a 55 (40), a solid anchoring knock.
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In addition, Kohli's strike rate is perhaps boosted by the innings in which he plays until the last five overs, where his acceleration is second to none. In order to maximise their lineup, India would be best served by surrounding him with middle-overs risk-takers (Suryakumar Yadav, Jitesh Sharma, Tilak Varma, etc.) to take care of the scoring rates while ensuring he holds up one end in case wickets go down.
There is most certainly room in the Indian setup for someone of Kohli's stature and ability, but in order to make the best use of the lineup, there needs to be crystal-clear instructions on each player's role.
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