Irfan Pathan emphasizes the necessity of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s experience for India in the T20 World Cup 2024 due to the unfamiliar pitches in the tournament. With India grouped alongside Ireland, Pakistan, USA, and Canada, the schedule revealed matches starting on June 5, with three group stage matches in New York and the final one in Florida.
Expressing his views, Pathan stresses the importance of the duo’s on-field and off-field experience, citing the challenge posed by the unknown pitches in the USA and the Caribbean. The availability of Kohli and Rohit has been a significant pre-tournament discussion, as both haven’t played T20Is since India’s World Cup 2022 semi-final exit.
“I personally want to see him because if we talk about two years ago, he didn’t have the form, but his last IPL was amazing. On West Indian pitches, and you will go to America, there is a little unknown area there, so you might need experience there.”
Despite their absence, reports suggest the star players are eager to participate. Pathan, speaking to Star Sports, expresses his desire to see Kohli return to the T20 format, highlighting his impressive performance in the T20 World Cup 2022 and IPL 2023.
Pathan underscores the significance of experienced campaigners like Kohli and Rohit for handling the unpredictable pitches in the mentioned locations. He acknowledges Kohli’s resurgence in form and asserts that their presence is crucial both on and off the field.
“It will be up to what the team management is thinking and what Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are thinking currently, their focus and fitness, but I personally want to see both these players.”
Concluding, Pathan acknowledges that the decision to include Kohli and Rohit ultimately rests with the team management and depends on their fitness. However, he expresses his keenness to witness both players perform in the T20 World Cup, especially with Rohit exhibiting a return to form in One Day Cricket.
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