T20 World Cup 2022: "People were asking a few illegitimate questions" - Aakash Chopra on whether Virat Kohli's knock is India's best T20I innings

Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Virat Kohli's knock in India's T20 World Cup 2022 win against Pakistan is the best T20I innings by an Indian batter.

Kohli smashed an unbeaten 82 off 53 deliveries to help the Men in Blue chase down a 160-run target in Melbourne on Sunday, October 23. The knock has drawn plaudits from various cricket experts, considering the Indian team seemed to be down and out at a score of 31/4 in the seventh over.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked two efforts from Kohli among the possible candidates. He elaborated:

"Was Virat Kohli's knock in Melbourne the best innings by an Indian in T20Is? Which are the contenders - there are two knocks from Kohli, one was against Australia in Mohali and the second of course is the one in Melbourne. People were asking a few illegitimate questions, whether Surya should play at No. 3 and all."

Chopra rated the Indian batting mainstay's effort in Melbourne ahead of his knock against Australia in Mohali. The former India opener reasoned:

"I feel I will go with the innings in Melbourne. Mohali was a home ground and Kohli was at the peak of his powers and here he was making a comeback, I mean there were some question marks. So the Melbourne knock is his best."

Chopra chose two knocks from Yuvraj Singh as the other contenders. He explained:

"Two other knocks come to my mind, one is where Yuvraj Singh hit six sixes and the other is the 70-odd run knock against Australia in the semi-finals. We were batting first but if it is the 2007 World Cup semi-final and it is against Australia, all of us thought that is the favorite. So I am leaving the knock with six sixes."

Yuvraj smashed 58 runs off 16 balls, including six consecutive sixes off Stuart Broad, in India's Group E game against England at the 2007 T20 World Cup. The swashbuckling left-hander followed that up with a 70 off 30 deliveries in the semi-finals against Australia.

"The best I feel is Yuvraj Singh's" - Sanjay Bangar picks Virat Kohli's knock in Melbourne as the second-best

Virat Kohli picked his knock in Melbourne as his best T20I innings.

Chopra then asked Sanjay Bangar to choose the best T20I knock played by an Indian. The latter responded:

"The best I feel is Yuvraj Singh's, he will be at No. 1 because it was a semi-final match, so it was a different level. The second, as Virat Kohli himself said in his post-match interview that he will rate the Melbourne innings higher, the sort of attack it was and the position we were in, difficult conditions, I feel Melbourne should be there."

Yuvraj Singh’s sensational 30-ball 70 against Australia in the semi-final of the ICC Men's #T20WorldCup 2007 is the winner of the @postpeapp Greatest Moments match-up 1⃣4⃣! https://t.co/pzl9eX0k3c

Chopra also concurred with his fellow commentator's views. However, he added that the replays of Kohli's knock against Pakistan will be watched for a long time.