Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly urges team management to capitalise on Kohli’s strong form up the order for RCB in the upcoming T20 World Cup
Star India batter Virat Kolhi. Pic/AFP
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly on Friday said the Indian team management should make Virat Kohli open in next month’s T20 World Cup to exploit the star batter’s rich vein of form in the ongoing Indian Premier League. Kohli is the current Orange Cap holder in IPL-17 with 634 runs from 12 matches, averaging 70.44 and at an impressive strike-rate of 153.51, which is significantly higher than his IPL career rate of 134.31.
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‘Playing exceptionally well’
“Virat is playing exceptionally well. The way Kohli batted last night—90 in quick time, you need to use him as opener in T20 World Cup. He should open, evidenced by his last few IPL innings, which have been outstanding,” Ganguly said on the sidelines of a promotional event here yesterday.
Sourav Ganguly at an event in Bangalore yesterday. Pic/PTI
Ganguly said India have picked a balanced squad for the T20 World Cup which has the wherewithal to land the trophy after a gap of 17 years. India’s lone triumph in the T20 World Cup came in 2007, the inaugural edition held in South Africa. “This is an excellent squad. I think they have picked the best possible squad. Apart from batting depth, bowling looks excellent.
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‘Bumrah’s the best’
“[Jasprit] Bumrah is the best fast bowler in the world at the moment. We have experience in Kuldeep [Yadav], Axar [Patel], [Mohammed] Siraj. It’s an ideal combination we have this time,” said Ganguly.
This edition of the IPL has seen teams breaching the 250-run mark quite effortlessly, and the 51-year-old said the trend would continue in the future as well. “This is going to be the trend in the years to come. T20 cricket has become a power-oriented game and that’s what it is going to be.”
For India’s sake, you’d want Virat’s form to continue in T20 WC: Kumble
Former India cricketer Anil Kumble heaped praise on Virat Kohli and expects the star Indian batter to continue his prime IPL form in the T20 World Cup as well. Kohli’s scintillating 92 off 47 balls, followed by a collective bowling effort, helped RCB record a 60-run win over PBKS, their fifth win of the IPL 2024 after losing six games in a row.
“He [Kohli] has been in outstanding form. He had a break coming into this IPL and since then, he’s been relentless in his pursuit of excellence. You could see that. He’s at the top of the scoring table with 634 runs, and I’m sure for RCB, you would want him to win the next two games and hopefully qualify. But for India’s sake, you’d want his form to continue in the T20 World Cup as well,” Kumble told Jio Cinema.
Former Australia cricketer Shane Watson was impressed with Kohli’s all-round effort, helping other batters to score around him. Kohli was electric on the field, effecting a stunning run-out from deep mid-wicket with a direct hit to dismiss the dangerous-looking Shahshank Singh, who got out on 37 off 19 balls.
634
No of runs scored by Virat Kohli in IPL-17, the most by any player this season
153.51
Kohli’s strike-rate in this IPL edition
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