Hitting out at the rumours, former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth said that Virat Kohli is a must in India’s team for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Earlier in January this year, Virat Kohli returned to the T20I team after an absence of over a year.
He was not selected in the team since the 2022 World T20 before being called up for the series against Afghanistan. Many believed that the withdrawal was a big indication that the former India captain would be part of the T20 World Cup squad.
However, a recent report suggests that the selectors are not willing to include Kohli in the World Cup squad. According to the report, the star batsman is facing the ax for not being able to cope with the team’s demands in the shortest format of the game. And while only time will tell whether the rumors are true or not, Srikkanth has said that the star batsman should be a part of the Indian team.
“No chance. It is not possible to be without Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup. He is the one who took us to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2022. He was the Man of the Tournament. Who is saying all this? These gossips, don’t they have another job? What is the basis of all this talk? If India has to win the T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli is a must in the team,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube show.
“Virat Kohli must be honoured”
Srikkanth went on to say that the Indian team should honor Kohli and stated that the team should win the World Cup for the decorated batsman. He also highlighted Kohli’s importance in the team, saying that the Indian team will need a blanket anchor like the veteran batsman.
“You need a guy who can stay there. India needs that anchor sheet, be it the T20 World Cup or the ODI World Cup.
“Without Virat Kohli, the Indian team cannot function. We need Virat Kohli 100 per cent. I still believe that Virat Kohli should be honored like Sachin Tendulkar was in 2011. The Indian team should win the World Cup for Virat. It will be a great thing for Virat Kohli,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Kohli will return to competitive cricket later this month when IPL 2024 begins. He has not played a competitive match since January.