3 reasons why Virat Kohli's absence from India's T20I squad for Sri Lanka series is a wrong move
Team India have dropped Virat Kohli for the upcoming three-match home T20I series against Sri Lanka, starting on Tuesday, January 3.
Young all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been named as the captain, while star batter Suryakumar Yadav has been elevated as the vice-captain. Selectors have packed the batting unit with youngsters such as Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, and Sanju Samson.
With the 2024 T20 World Cup in mind, the selectors are planning to build a young and dynamic squad under the leadership of Hardik. Hence, they have started phasing out senior players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
#TeamIndia squad for three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
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The Indian think tank has also dropped senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the squad.
India squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (vc), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, and Mukesh Kumar.
On that note, let's take a look at three reasons why dropping Kohli from the upcoming series against Sri Lanka is the wrong move.
#1 Was in great form at the T20 World Cup
Kohli was in superlative form at the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. He finished as the highest run-scorer in the competition by amassing 296 runs from six games at an average of 98.66, smashing four half-centuries in the process.
The former Indian skipper looked at his absolute best in the group-stage fixture against arch-rivals Pakistan. His unbeaten 82 off 53 balls, laced with six boundaries and four maximums, helped the Men in Blue gun down the 160-run target.
With runs under his belt, Kohli deserved to be in the side for the Sri Lanka series. The talismanic batter will be 36 years old when the 2024 T20 World Cup takes place and it's still too early to phase him out of the shortest format of the game.
#2 Virat Kohli is still a leader in the group
@BCCI
Why dropped @imVkohli in t20I squad against Sri Lanka? https://t.co/MSJGVGU0NN
The Delhi-born cricketer stepped down as India's T20I skipper after the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. He has led India on 50 occasions, winning 30 and losing 16.
Despite not being a captain, Kohli is part of the leadership group and youngsters often turn to him for suggestions. He also knows how to cheer up the players when the chips are down.
Having Kohli in the mix would have certainly benefitted India as they build a young team for the next T20 World Cup.
#3 Can play the anchor role
T20 cricket has witnessed a shift towards being more aggressive with batters going hard at the bowlers from the very beginning. However, having a player who can bat throughout the 20 overs is still invaluable. This is where Kohli's importance in this Indian side is unparalleled.
The right-handed batter can adopt an anchor role and play the second fiddle whenever needed. It is also evident that whenever Kohli gets time to settle in, he is a different beast altogether.
Thus, having him among a bunch of youngsters would do Team India a world of good.
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