(Image Source: X)
[Saba Sports News] Virat Kohli, India’s renowned batter, marked his return to T20Is after 14 months in a match against Afghanistan on January 14 at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. Coming in early due to Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, Kohli scored a brisk 29 off 16 balls before being out in the sixth over. Despite his dismissal, India clinched victory by six wickets, thanks to impressive innings from Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Commentator Harsha Bhogle later analyzed Kohli’s performance, praising the aggressiveness of his innings for its suitability in T20 cricket. He suggested that a fast-paced cameo like Kohli’s is more beneficial in a high-scoring chase than a slower 50 off 40 balls. Bhogle’s remarks, however, faced backlash from fans who felt he was unfairly critiquing Kohli, especially recalling his 50 off 40 balls in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final against England.
“Kohli’s innings of 29(16) will draw diverse comments because of his stature. From a T20 perspective, it was exactly the kind of innings a team wants. One of six batters scored more than a sixth of the runs at a SR > asking rate. But because he is a great player, we expect more and think it was underwhelming,” Bhogle posted on X.
“A 29(16) from Jaiswal or Gill will be more acceptable though it should really be seen the same way. The 29(16) approach will produce, say a 60(33) a few times. It is admirable that at this stage of his career Kohli is actually challenging himself in the shortest form. 29(16) is a better innings than 50(40) in a 170+ run chase,” he added.
Despite recent criticisms, Kohli’s track record in T20Is remains exceptional. He has been a pivotal player for India, with notable achievements including two Player of the Tournament awards in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups and being the highest run-scorer in both T20Is and T20 World Cups.