Despite scrutiny over his strike rate, especially after a 67-ball hundred in IPL 2024, Virat Kohli’s value to RCB and potential for India’s T20 World Cup squad is supported by Brian Lara.
Virat Kohli, holding the IPL 2024 Orange Cap, faced scrutiny for his strike rate despite a 67-ball hundred in RCB’s match against Rajasthan Royals. Legendary cricketer Brian Lara believes Kohli’s value goes beyond numbers, endorsing his role as opener for India in the T20 World Cup. Position determines strike rate, with 130-140 considered adequate for openers and 150-160 for middle-order batsmen, Lara explained, citing the current trend of batsmen hitting at 200 in later IPL innings.
Kohli’s ability to start at 130 and accelerate to 160 or higher makes him suitable for the opening role, Lara highlighted during the Star Sports Press Room, attended by Ambati Rayudu.
“The strike rate depends on position, and for an opener strike rate of 130-140 is pretty alright. But if you are coming in the middle-order then you may be required to hit at 150 or 160. As you have seen in this IPL, batsmen are hitting at 200 in the latter part of an innings. But an opener like Kohli always has the chance of starting at 130, batting through the overs, and finishing at 160 or even higher, which is alright,” he said.
ALSO READ | BCCI Official Dismisses Social Media Speculation on Virat Kohli’s T20 World Cup Selection | Report
Brian Lara also suggested pairing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as openers for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies but advocated for a younger player to accompany them.
“But if you ask me, India’s top three in the World Cup should be Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill irrespective of all these. And for RCB, it should not be about one person, as it has to be a team effort. Having that whole experience up front, it could have a negative effect if they get dismissed early, so I will use one at top, but use the other at No. 3,” he added.
Lara further commented on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s form slump in IPL 2024, attributing it to the youngster’s anxiety about T20 World Cup team selection. Despite Jaiswal’s stellar Test performance against England earlier, Lara noted his lack of foot movement and rushed shot selection. Lara, with over 20,000 international runs, advised Jaiswal and other young players like Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, and Riyan Parag to focus on performing well in the IPL rather than worrying about World Cup selection, emphasizing that good performances will naturally lead to opportunities in the national team.
Last Updated on April 8, 2024
Senior Sports Copywriter
