Suresh Raina believes Virat Kohli’s batting style shouldn’t be altered as he re-joins India’s T20I squad.
India’s team, the Men in Blue, secured victory against Afghanistan. Winning six wickets in Mohali’s inaugural T20I three-match series on Thursday. Kohli wasn’t on the field due to personal engagements, but it’s anticipated he’ll join Sunday’s game in Indore.
While conversing on JioCinema, Suresh Raina was queried on Kohli’s potential need for a more aggressive style in T20Is. His reply:
“He always has an attacking mindset, the way he controls the innings. 20 overs is a big format. People feel it is a very short format but you still need to play 20 overs. We will be playing the World Cup in the Caribbean and America, the wickets will be slightly challenging. They will be slightly spin-friendly and slow.”
Suresh Raina
The former India all-rounder said that just having the former captain at the crease will guarantee that the Men in Blue reach a massive total, even as he praised Kohli’s skill at chase down runs. He clarified:
“India have won 17 of their last 19 matches while chasing when Kohli was there. When you chase, you do the calculations in your mind, and that’s why he is called a chase master. He will show intent but if Virat Kohli even stands there for 20 overs, 225-230 will be scored.”
Suresh Raina
Virat Kohli, through 115 T20Is, has gathered a superb 4008 runs. His average stands at 52.73 with a striking rate of 137.96. During T20I run chases, in 45 innings, he’s collected 1983 runs. His average here is a remarkable 73.44 and the strike rate is 136.47.
Pragyan Ojha lauds Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as India’s pillars of strength
Regarding the shortest format question regarding Virat Kohli’s significance to India, Pragyan Ojha was questioned. He replied:
“He is extremely important. The names you are taking, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, they are the backbone. We saw how Virat Kohli won us the match in Australia at the MCG. When you need that experience, we see what these players can do.”
Pragyan Ojha
The former spinner for India continued by saying that Rohit Sharma and Kohli provide the side with much-needed experience. He declared:
“They give cushion to the youngsters. Players with less experience start stumbling in such situations. So you need such players to create the balance. So Kohli probably creates that cushion. I feel these two players are there for matches where the team needs a lot of experience.”
Pragyan Ojha
Virat Kohli participated in three T20Is in the West Indies. His score was 112 runs. His average score was 37.33. His strike rate was 141.77. But in the United States, he didn’t do as well. He played three T20I innings. He managed 63 runs. His average sat at 21.00. His strike rate was 103.27.