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Kris Srikkanth, former India captain and ex-chairman of the selection committee, has strongly supported Virat Kohli‘s inclusion in the Indian T20 World Cup 2024 squad, dismissing rumors suggesting otherwise.
Kohli made his return to the T20 setup during the three-match series against Afghanistan in January, marking his comeback to the shortest format after the T20 World Cup semi-final in 2022. Alongside Rohit Sharma, Kohli was reinstated into the T20I squad by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, indicating their intent to include them in the upcoming mega event squad.
Speculations surrounding Virat Kohli’s omission
However, recently several media reports suggested that the national selectors and team management are considering tough decisions in preparation for the upcoming tournament. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has delegated the decision-making authority to the selection committee and team management. Speculations arose that Kohli could potentially be omitted from the T20 World Cup squad due to anticipated slow pitches in the tournament, scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June, posing challenges for Kohli to score runs on such surfaces.
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Defends Kohli’s place in T20 World Cup Squad
In a recent address on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth emphasized Kohli’s crucial role in the team’s past successes, notably his leadership with the bat during the previous global showpiece event where he guided India to the semi-finals. Responding to apprehensions regarding Kohli’s strike rate in T20Is, Srikkanth commended his versatility and showcased his exceptional display in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he emerged as the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Additionally, he reiterated the significance of having a dependable anchor in the batting lineup.
“No chance. It’s not possible to be without Virat Kohli at the T20 World Cup. He is the one who took us to the semi-finals in T20 World Cup 2022. He was the Man of the Tournament. Who is saying all this? These rumor-mongers, don’t they have any other job? What is the basis for all this chatter? If India have to win the T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli is a must in the squad,” Srikkanth said.
“You need a guy who can just stay there. India need that sheet anchor, be it T20 World Cup or ODI World Cup. Without Virat Kohli, the Indian team cannot go. We need Virat Kohli, 100 percent,” the 64-year-old added.
Urges team support and World Cup glory for Kohli
With fervent conviction, Srikkanth appealed to the Indian team to unite behind Kohli and pursue World Cup success as a tribute to his immense contributions to Indian cricket. Drawing comparisons to Sachin Tendulkar‘s historic triumph in the 2011 World Cup, Srikkanth stressed Kohli’s deserving of similar recognition and honour.
“Virat Kohli should be honoured like how Sachin Tendulkar was in 2011. The Indian team should win the World Cup for Virat. It will be a great thing for Virat Kohli,” the Chennai-born cricketer concluded.
