With just weeks to go before the T20 World Cup 2024 squad is finalized, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly had a chat with skipper Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid and selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar in Mumbai. A number of places are up for discussion, including the talismanic Virat Kohli and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The debate over Kohli’s strike-rate has only enraged as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 has progressed while Hardik’s below-par batting performance and sporadic bowling spells have left much to be desired. (IPL 2024 Points Table)
As the BCCI meeting took place in Mumbai, it has been reported that Virat wanted clarity over his role in the forthcoming T20 World Cup. With Yashasvi Jaiswal going through a rough patch in the IPL, Kohli has been asked to open alongside skipper Rohit in the showpiece event which starts in June, as per a Dainik Jagaran report.
Virat opens regularly for his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru and is the top-scoring batter at present. The selection committee, hence, sees the opening as the perfect role for the veteran batter. Shubman Gill, who has also looked in fine form this season, is reportedly being seen as the back-up opening option for the T20 World Cup.
When it comes to T20I cricket, Virat Kohli has a strike-rate of 161 as an opening batter. Overall, his strike-rate sits at 138. In fact, Kohli’s only T20I hundred has also come as an opener.
In the middle-order, the BCCI is reportedly looking to bank on rookie players like Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube while Riyan Parag is also said to be in consideration.
It also has to be noted that Kohli’s inclusion as an opener wouldn’t leave much space for Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Indian team. With there being time before the BCCI selection committee decides on the roster for the T20 World Cup, Jaiswal would hope to improve his form and reaffirm his credentials for the opening spot in the team.
