NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s spot in the Indian T20I side is uncertain, and the upcoming T20I series against England will be crucial for the 33-year-old.
According to Times of India, the former Indian captain may find himself in a situation where he may have to fight hard to retain his place in the upcoming T20 World Cup in October.
On Wednesday, the national selectors picked an ODI team for three matches in West Indies later this month. Shikhar Dhawan will lead the team with Ravindra Jadeja as his deputy. Regular all-format captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have all been rested.
However, Rohit, Pant and Pandya are likely to travel with the team to the Caribbean for the subsequent five-match T20I series. As for Kohli, his T20I future will depend on how he performs in the two T20Is and ODIs in England.
“The T20I team has been withheld to evaluate the rest needed to be given to the top players. Rohit, Pant and Pandya are likely to play the T20Is in West Indies. Bumrah most likely will not be travelling to the Caribbean. As for Kohli, one needs to see what the team management decides on what it needs for the T20 World Cup. This limited-overs series in England is very crucial for Kohli,” a source told The Times of India.
Kohli’s form across formats has not been convincing for over a year now. His struggles in T20 cricket surfaced even in this year’s IPL. He has looked a shadow of his free-flowing self. With India having multiple young and dynamic middle-order options in Suryakumar Yadav, Pant, Pandya, Jadeja, Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer, Kohli may be falling behind in the race.
