A couple of months still to go but Virat Kohli’s place in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 is back in the spotlight. The veteran batter did very well for the national team in the T20 World Cup 2022 but hasn’t quite managed to convince selectors about his ability to switch gears the way modern T20 cricket demands. Though players’ places in the T20 squad will be defined on the basis of the IPL 2024 campaign, a report has claimed that chief selector Ajit Agarkar has been asked to ‘convince’ Virat to make way for youngsters in the team.
As per a report in The Telegraph, Virat was informed by Agarkar about the need for a change in his approach. The conversation prompted Kohli to bat more aggressively in T20Is against Afghanistan but could only register the highest score of 29 in a match.
The report further claims that the selectors are of the opinion that the slow wickets in the West Indies wouldn’t suit Kohli’s natural game as a batter. Hence, the selection committee has been assessing its options for the showpiece event.
The chief selector, Agarkar, has also reportedly taken up the task to convince Kohli that he has to make way for the younger generation in the shortest format.
The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, and Shivam Dube are some of the players who could be used in the middle-order if Kohli steps aside. But, all is not over for Kohli yet. It is also believed that Virat’s fortunes could change if he goes on to have an exemplary season with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, prove the selectors that he can play in the modern T20 mould.
However, Kohli hasn’t yet joined the RCB camp, ahead of the IPL 2024 season. He gave the entire England Test series a miss because of the birth of his son Akaay.
