Kohli shows he has ‘still got it’ in T20s
Bengaluru, March 26: Not just a marketable name to promote T20 cricket, he’s still got the game. This was the subtle message Virat Kohli sent out amid unfounded chatter surrounding his place in the side ahead of the World Cup’s debut appearance in the United States. Kohli, who is back after a two-month paternity break, scored a matchwinning 77 off 49 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday night against Punjab Kings and deservedly walked away with the player of the match honours.
“I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But, I’ve still got it, I guess,” said the 35year-old father of two in the post-match presentation.
His comments came in the backdrop of neverending media speculation surrounding the team’s composition for the big event to be jointly hosted by the USA and the West Indies starting June 1.
Former players like Kevin Pietersen have asked whether Kohli would make the Indian squad purely on merit or for being a megastar who will pull in fans. Kohli averages over 50 in the format and has a strike rate of 138.15.
On Monday hallmark of Kohli’s classy knock was the way he stepped out to dispatch the fast bowlers over the extra cover boundary.
The former India captain has nothing left to prove but he realises the need for constant evolution in T20 format.
“Well I mean you have to (make additions to your game),” he said when asked about going aerial against the pacers on the off-side.
“People know I play the cover drive pretty well so they’re not going to allow me to hit gaps and with guys like KG (Kagiso Rabada) and Arshdeep (Singh) as well, he’s tall. So, I mean, if they’re hitting length, you have to create some momentum in the ball.
“And once you’re closer to the ball, you kind of negate the bounce that’s going to happen. You meet it earlier. So, I mean, you have to come up with a game plan here and there and try to keep improving your game,” Kohli explained.
Kohli had missed five-match Test series against England as he was overseas for the birth of his second child. The long break allowed him to spend much needed quality time with his family and not being recognised on the streets was something that he enjoyed the most. “We were not in the country. We were at a place where people were not recognising us. Just time together as a family, just to feel normal for two months. For me, for us as a family, it was a surreal experience.”