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There is no doubt about the fact that Rohit Sharma will lead India’s charge in the T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to be played in the US and West Indies in June. But the same cannot be said for Virat Kohli’s position in the side. BCCI secretary Jay Shah has already confirmed Rohit as India’s captain for the T20 World Cup, but on Kohli, he said the former captain’s role in the T20Is will be discussed in due course.
As things stand now, the selectors are in a fix over Virat Kohli’s position in the T20Is. Both Rohit and Kohli decided to take a break from the shorter format after India’s defeat in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Australia in 2022. Hardik Pandya took charge of the T20I team but after the all-rounder was ruled out. of the World ODI with an ankle injury, there was a change in posture.
BCCI officials and selectors contacted Rohit and Kohli to know if they were interested in playing T20Is and both stalwarts responded affirmatively. The Indian T20I team saw the return of Rohit and Kohli in T20Is after about 15 months during the home series against Afghanistan.
But there were always doubts about Kohli’s position in the XI. While Rohit led India’s charge with his attacking approach at the top of the order throughout the ODI World Cup, showing clear signs of being an ideal opener even in T20Is, Kohli stuck to his tried-and-tested method. His role was to be the anchor of the batting unit. That approach is necessary in ODIs, but is an anchor necessary in T20Is?
Selectors not interested in picking Virat Kohli for T20 World Cup, last call will be on Ajit Agarkar
With the youngsters pushing and the format changing course rapidly, the selectors were a little skeptical about Kohli’s place. If The Telegraph’s latest report is to be believed, then the doubt has only grown stronger.
According to the report, Kohli “has not been able to cope with the team’s needs in the shortest format.” He will only be considered if he has a “superlative IPL” for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Sources said the national selectors and team management are ready to take some tough decisions keeping the T20 World Cup in mind.
The final decision could rest with chief selector Ajit Agarkar as senior BCCI officials do not want to get involved in this. “It remains a very sensitive issue and not many are willing to get involved,” the source said.
To be fair to Kohli, who is the only cricketer to score more than 4000 T20I runs, he tried to get rid of the anchor tag by trying to be aggressive from the start in the two T20Is he played against Afghanistan. But is it necessary to ask someone like Kohli to drastically change his game when there are others who can play the same game naturally?
What are India’s options if Virat Kohli is not picked for the T20 World Cup?
There are plenty. Kohli bats at number 3 in T20Is. India have players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad to choose from as Rohit’s opening partners. Whoever misses out can be judged at number 3. Then there is the option of picking KL Rahul or Snaju Samson as the wicketkeeper and third batsman. Before losing his central contract, Ishan Kishan was judged at number 3 in the T20I against Australia and the left-hander scored two brilliant half-centuries.
Another obvious option is to send Suryakumar Yadav, the world’s number one T20I batsman at number 3 and let the likes of Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja come in at the end of the innings to do what they do best.