India made a decision on Virat Kohli’s participation in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup which is to begin on June 1 at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas, United States, reported local Indian media on Wednesday.
There were multiple reports that Kohli may get the axe as there were concerns about his form and especially his strike rate in the shorter format but as per a report by Dainik Jagran, the 35-year-old will make the final squad for the World Cup.
Kohli wanted clarity from the selection committee over the World Cup and it was discussed in a meeting with Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid and chief selector Ajit Agarkar that he would open alongside the hitman at the mega event.
The former Indian skipper has been playing as an opener for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and has amassed 361 runs, the most in the tournament, in seven matches at a strike rate of 147.
While he has played the majority of his career at no.3, Kohli has a great record as an opener in international cricket. In nine matches, the 35-year-old scored 400 runs at an average of 57.
Also, the only century he has in T20Is, came when he opened the innings against Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup 2021 and scored 122 runs. It is also the highest individual score by any Indian in the shorter format.
With Kohli almost guaranteed to open with Rohit at the World Cup, Yashasvi Jaiswal is likely to sit on the bench. Meanwhile, India will have to fix their middle order with multiple options to look at.
Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Riyan Parag are the names considered for the mega event while Suryakumar Yadav is likely to take Kohli’s no.3 position. Another name is Shubman Gill, whose role in the mega event is yet to be determined.
Remember, India is in Group A with Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and the United States for the T20 World Cup 2024.