Batting maestro Virat Kohli roared back to form at the recently concluded Asia Cup 2022 in the UAE where he registered his 71st century to go with two successive fifties.
Virat Kohli had walked out to open the innings for team India with KL Rahul, in the absence of Rohit Sharma in the Super 4 game in Asia Cup 2022.
Virat smashed 122 not out off just 61 balls, helping the Indian cricket team post a total of 212 runs on the scoreboard. His knock was laced with 6 sixes and 12 boundaries as he enjoyed his time in the middle. Kohli and KL Rahul stitched a 119-run opening stand.
After his stunning performance in the Asia Cup 2022, several experts and pundits backed him to open the innings for the Indian side in the upcoming series and the much-awaited T20 World Cup 2022.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma addressed a press conference where he spoke about what to expect and whether Virat Kohli can be looked at as an opener in the shortest format. He said:
“It is always nice to have options available for you. It is important going into a World Cup that you have flexibility. You want the players to be in best shape batting at any position. When we try and do something new, that does not mean that’s a problem,”
He added: “For us, we understand the quality of all our players and what they bring for us. But yeah, it is an option (Virat Kohli opening) for us, we will always keep that in mind. Since we have not taken a third opener, he opens for his franchise in the IPL and he has done really well, so it is a definite option for us,”
Furthermore, talking about Virat opening the batting for India, Rohit called him the third opening option for the side and also said that he will open in some of the games but also made it clear that KL Rahul will open the batting in the World Cup. He said:
“Virat Kohli is our third opener and he will open in some of the games. In the last match of Asia Cup, we were happy with the way he played. But KL Rahul will open the batting in the World Cup, his performance sometimes goes quite unnoticed.”
He added: “He is a very important player for Team India. For us, I just want to make it clear, we are clear in our thought process. We do not have any confusion, we are very clear what KL Rahul brings to the table for us, he is a quality player and is very important for us. His presence at the top is very crucial for us,”
