India needs Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the T20 World Cup, believes Irfan Pathan. Their experience will be beneficial.
India is set for a T20I series of three matches vs Afghanistan. Game one is in Mohali, January 11. We’re unsure if Kohli and Rohit are included for this series and the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Is Kohli a member of India’s T20 World Cup team, Irfan Pathan was questioned during a Star Sports conversation. He believed that Rohit and Kohli need to be included, stating:
“I personally want to see him because if we talk about two years ago, he didn’t have the form, but his last IPL was amazing. On West Indian pitches, and you will go to America, there is a little unknown area there, so you might need experience there.”
Irfan Pathan
The former India all-rounder added:
“It will be up to what the team management is thinking and what Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are thinking currently, their focus and fitness, but I personally want to see both these players.”
Irfan Pathan
Kohli and Rohit lead in runs for T20I cricket. Kohli holds 4008 runs in 107 innings at a 137.96 strike rate. Rohit follows close with 3853 runs in 140 innings sporting a 139.24 strike rate.
“Rohit Sharma has changed his approach and is scoring runs in a terrific fashion in ODI cricket” – Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan expresses that Rohit Sharma’s powerful ODI style can be applied in T20I matches. His statement:
“Rohit Sharma has changed his approach and is scoring runs in a terrific fashion in ODI cricket. So if he converts that into T20 cricket – why not? Experience always comes in handy in such big tournaments.”
Irfan Pathan
The cricketer now commentator shared his belief that the Men in Blue require Virat Kohli’s presence on and off the T20 World Cup field.
“You will need Virat Kohli in America. You are going to a new place. So I feel, firstly because of the pitches, and from an off-the-field perspective also, you might need him.”
Irfan Pathan
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, Viat Kohli was the high scorer. His 296 runs averaged an impressive 98.67. On the other hand, Rohit had a less impressive stint. He scored 116 runs in total, averaging only 19.33. If chosen for the next tournament, we hope he steps up his game.