Kohli’s place in the team has become a subject of serious discussion. Does Kohli fit into India’s T20 World Cup
first eleven?
There isn’t a Yes or No answer. Kohli is just too good a player to be ignored. To say that he didn’t score many in the
IPL and hence it is time to look beyond him isn’t fair. At the same time, the refreshing approach of Hooda and Yadav, and with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul settled at the top, it does make sense to discuss Kohli’s position in the playing eleven. It can never be about Kohli in isolation. Kohli the batter will walk into any team in the world. Yes, he needs runs under his belt, and it is important he plays as much T20 cricket as possible leading into the World Cup. Having
said that, it’s more about team balance rather than Kohli the batter.
The questions that need asking are: Can Kohli’s approach to T20 batting work for India with Rohit and Rahul, who are both very similar in nature, opening the batting? Can Kohli fit into the middle order and is there a place for a masterful anchor in Australian conditions?’
A conservative approach to batting hasn’t worked for India in T20 cricket. It was refreshing to watch India bat the
way they did in the first T20I in Southampton. This strategy of relentless aggression from the very first over made sure the run rate was never an issue even when they lost wickets in a heap at the end. It is something
Rohit alluded to in the post-match press conference stating he loved the intent from ball one and this is how India will play in the immediate future.
Can Kohli bat in this manner?
While there are no easy answers to these questions, it is important to state that selection must be based on current form. And here it isn’t about IPL form. It is about a batter’s ability to soak in the pressure of international cricket in crunch situations. Imagine a scenario where the team has lost a couple of wickets at the top and needs someone to ease things out a bit and set the game up.
Kohli, it must be argued, is India’s best bet in such situations. In big Australian grounds, a batter of Kohli’s class who can manoeuvre the ball and use the gaps can be critical to India’s prospects. He is still one of the best runners between wickets and will also save a few in the field, not to forget his catching ability in the deep.
The worry about Kohli in T20 cricket in recent times is his inability to strike big after being well set. While the first
20-30 runs come in good time, he slows down thereafter eventually ending with a strike rate of around 120. That’s
where Kohli needs to modify his approach. And this could well define his future in the format.
Kohli has forever been under scrutiny in his career but the next few T20 games are of huge importance for him.
He will have to score big runs to settle the debate. His batting position is also of interest. Kohli’s best place is at the top of the order and India can think of all three —Rohit, Rahul and Kohli — as openers, keeping in mind the injury-prone nature of the other two.
What can work for Kohli is the fact that he knows the team isn’t dependent on him anymore. With match-winners
all around him, he can just ease into the designated role and do the job without having to think too much about the
consequences. In sum, it is too early to predict Kohli’s T20 future. Chances are we will see him in Australia and one can only hope he rediscovers himself and plays a stellar role for India. For a
in prime form is still better than the best in the world and that’s what all of India will be banking on.
