After a stellar Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, Indian opener Virat Kohli has struggled to find his form in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Despite India‘s convincing victory over England in their semi-final clash, Kohli’s difficulties continued as he again flopped with the bat.
Virat Kohli’s struggle in the T20 World Cup 2024
In the seven matches he has played in this World Cup, Kohli has scored a total of 75 runs at an average of 10.71 and a strike rate of 100. This performance is a stark contrast to his IPL 2024 season, where he scored 741 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of around 155. In the crucial semi-final against England, Kohli was dismissed for 9 runs by his RCB teammate Reece Topley at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Rohit Sharma’s bold prediction
Despite his poor form, Indian captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid have continued to support Kohli. After the match against England, both expressed their belief in his ability to perform in the upcoming final. Rohit Sharma confirmed Kohli’s place for the T20 World Cup final against South Africa, emphasizing his confidence in Kohli’s experience and class and believed that he will go big in the summit clash.
“Look, he is a quality player, any player can go through a lack of form. But we understand his class and his importance in big games. When you have played cricket for 15 years, form is never a problem. He is looking good, the intent is there, and he is probably saving the best for the finals,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation.
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Rahul Dravid’s perspective
Meanwhile, Dravid, while speaking to Star Sports, echoed Rohit’s sentiments, appreciating Kohli’s attitude and commitment on the field. Dravid highlighted Kohli’s intent and expressed confidence that a big knock is on the horizon. He even praised the six Kohli hit against Topley before getting out, indicating that Kohli’s form could turn around at any moment.
“You know with Virat, the thing is, when you play a slightly high risk brand of cricket there can be times when it doesn’t come off. Even today, I thought he hit a really good 6 to set the tempo but he was just unlucky that the ball seamed a little bit more. But I love the intent, I love the way he went about doing it. It sets a good example for the group as well if he’s willing to do it. And you know, for some reason, I don’t want to jinx it but I think there’s a big one coming up. I’m just loving his attitude and that he’s committing himself on the field – I think he deserves it,” Dravid said.
India vs England
In the semi-final, India batted first and scored 171/7 in 20 overs, thanks to an impressive fifty from captain Rohit and valuable contributions from Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. In response, Indian spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets each, bowling out England for just 103 runs. Jasprit Bumrah also chipped in with two wickets, leading India to a commanding 68-run victory.
Also READ: Fans go wild as clinical India steamroll England to secure final berth in the T20 World Cup 2024
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