Since the 2022 T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli has not participated in any T20 Internationals. As the T20 World Cup 2024 approaches in six months, the Indian team is actively preparing for the event, aiming to break their ten-year ICC Trophy drought.
Discussions about the future roles of batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20I side are widespread in anticipation of the T20 extravaganza. Reports suggest that the BCCI aims for Rohit Sharma to captain the side in the World Cup.
However, the situation is different for Kohli as he is not the preferred No. 3 batter for India in T20Is anymore. It’s worth noting that both Kohli and Rohit have not participated in a single T20I since India’s ten-wicket loss against England in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022.
As per a Dainik Jagran report, the selectors and the board are seeking a player who can launch an aggressive attack from the outset at the number 3 position. Therefore, they are considering wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan to assume that role in the team during the World Cup.
The left-hander has participated in 32 T20 Internationals, accumulating 796 runs at an average of 25.67 and a strike rate of 124.37, featuring six half-centuries. Kishan was also included in India’s 2021 T20 World Cup squad, where he played a single game against New Zealand, scoring four runs.
According to the report, Kohli will be in contention for selection if he performs well in the IPL 2024 season. Discussions regarding his T20I future will also take place soon with the selectors and other senior board members.
The 35-year-old, along with Rohit Sharma, has chosen to skip the white-ball series against South Africa, consisting of three T20Is and as many ODIs.
Virat Kohli holds the top position as the leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals and T20 World Cup
India has only one remaining T20I series against Afghanistan, scheduled from January 11 with three matches, before the T20 World Cup. It remains to be seen if Kohli will be included in that series.
The Delhi-born batsman, leading in both T20Is (4008 runs) and the T20 World Cup (1141 runs), has earned Player of the Tournament honors in consecutive editions (2014 and 2016).
Consequently, it will pose a challenge for the selectors to exclude Kohli from the upcoming World Cup, and such a decision is expected to create significant ripples within the Indian cricketing community.
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