With barely two months left for the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, reports have arrived that India’s star cricketer Virat Kohli may be left out of the squad by the selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
India last won an ICC trophy in 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy. After that, India were struggling to win the ICC trophy and that may have forced the selectors to make some tough decisions, including the exclusion of Kohli.
The report claims that the selectors feel that Kohli is not at his best in the T20 format, but if ‘King Kohli’ roars again in the upcoming Indian Premier League in 2024, the selectors will have to decide on a strategy. They may reconsider.
Kohli recently took a break from the five-Test series against England to welcome his second child. In his absence, India won the series 4–1.
In the report, the source said it “remains a very delicate matter and few (in the BCCI) are willing to get involved” as the final decision will be taken by selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar.
He added that Agarkar had already spoken to Kohli about the same and told him that he needed to make some changes to meet the demands of the team and the format.
However, the selection of the final squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is expected to be based on how the players perform in the IPL and how they soak up the pressure in the shortest format of cricket.