Amidst the buzz surrounding Virat Kohli’s spectacular performance in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s recent triumph over Punjab Kings, his witty comment, “I’ve still got it, I guess,” has sparked global discussions. Kohli’s return to action in the IPL after a hiatus during the India vs. England series has reignited debates about his inclusion in the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. However, with an impressive 49-ball 77, Kohli silenced his critics and confidently asserted his prowess during the post-match interaction.
“I know my name is now attached to just promoting the game in different parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. I’ve still got it I guess,” Virat Kohli remarked, asserting his continued excellence in the format.
Addressing the discourse, Aaron Finch, speaking on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show, vehemently criticized Kohli’s detractors, labelling suggestions of his exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup squad as ludicrous.
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“I can’t understand why every time there’s an ICC event coming up in any format, people always talk about Virat Kohli. Is he under pressure for his spot? That is the biggest load of rubbish I’ve never heard in of my life,” Aaron Finch exclaimed, emphasizing Kohli’s unparalleled stature in white-ball cricket.
“He is the greatest player that I’ve ever seen in white ball cricket. And doesn’t matter that he strikes at 140 and there’s guys who strike at 160. If I’m picking a team, you’re picking a guy who, you know, day in, day out and like Ferg [Callum Ferguson] said, in big games, gets the job done. So just ludicrous that we keep having this conversation,” Aaron Finch added, highlighting Kohli’s consistent match-winning performances.
Echoing Finch’s sentiments, former Australian international Callum Ferguson emphasized Kohli’s indispensability to the Indian team, especially in high-pressure situations.
“You’ve only got to look at the way he’s managed big games, in big tournaments in the last two or three years to almost suggest he’s one of their most important players. So, he’s in that side for mine. Lock him away. And going on about the way he’s come back into it over the last couple of games, Darren Lehman used to always say best when fresh, particularly towards the back end of your career. No doubt that’s worked for Virat this time round, and hopefully he can use it as a launching pad going into the World Cup,” Callum Ferguson stated, emphasizing Kohli’s invaluable contributions.
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Regarding the debate surrounding Kohli’s strike rate, Ferguson opined that Kohli’s approach is dictated by game situations, and critiquing his strike rate overlooks his ability to ensure victory for his team.
“Sometimes I reckon those strike rates can be skewed because he’ll play to get the W [win] and make sure there’s no risk involved in getting there at the back end, particularly with the tail. He’ll make sure of that. And sometimes his strike rate may be sacrificed a little bit, but he gets the wins for his team,” Callum Ferguson concluded, underscoring Kohli’s match-winning mindset.
