"Virat Kohli Is The Lion In The Jungle.."- Former India Cricketer
Virat Kohli was out of the T20I format for 429 days but he is expected to play the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup which is scheduled to be jointly hosted by the West Indies and the United States in June 2024. Former India opener Aakash Chopra wants Virat Kohli to play the anchor’s role and stay at the crease for as long as possible in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Virat Kohli made a return to India’s T20I side after 429 days in the second match of the ongoing series against Afghanistan/ This was his first international game in the shortest format since the 2022 T20 World Cup Semi-Finals against England. He scored a brisk 29 off 16 deliveries at an excellent strike rate of 181.25 and his knock was studded with five fours.
Aakash Chopra compared Virat Kohli‘s presence at the crease to that of a lion in a jungle. He explained, “Kohli has all types of gears. He can play fast or slow. He can play at a run-a-ball as well. Kohli is at his best when he stays for a long time. You feel scared going into a jungle because a lion is there.”
The reputed commentator added, “It’s not mandatory that the lion will eat you whenever you enter a jungle but the knowledge of the lion being there scares you. Virat Kohli is that lion. You (opposing teams) are always scared when Virat Kohli is at the crease.”
Virat Kohli Can Wreak Havoc Whenever Required
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Virat Kohli has a career strike rate of around 138. He added that when Virat plays at that pace, he doesn’t look to hit every ball for a boundary, but can wreak havoc whenever required. Virat Kohli has a knack for building his innings and playing the anchor and once he feels he is set, he fires all the pistons and suddenly the strike rate climbs to the reach of 170-180s.
Aakash Chopra doesn’t expect the T20 World Cup games to be high-scoring affairs. He elaborated, “The lion needs to be there on the pitch, especially on those pitches where totals will be between 160 and 180. 220 won’t be achieved there. So you expect Virat Kohli to stand there and accelerate later.”
The reputed commentator wants Virat Kohli to adopt a similar approach that he had during the T20 World Cup in 2022. He said, “The knock which was called the innings of the century, the Pakistan one, there also you will find that he was going at slightly higher than a run-a-ball. He accelerated in the end and won India the game. If Virat goes ultra-aggressive, consistency could be a casualty, and that’s not what you want.”
Virat Kohli’s presence on the crease can intimidate the opposition and they can never relax until they get him out of the game. He has been the highest scorer in three editions of the T20 World Cup (2014, 2016, and 2022). Virat Kohli will be the biggest threat to the opposition and they will fear him as one fear the lion in the jungle. It will be interesting to see what kind of approach he takes in the T20 World Cup in June 2024.
