"The one who wins matches is always going to be in the team" - Kiran More on Virat Kohli's future in T20Is following India's T20 World Cup 2022 exit

Former wicketkeeper-batter Kiran More believes that Virat Kohli will continue to play a major role in the national team, given his recent match-winning performances at the T20 World Cup 2022.

During a discussion on Sportskeeda, More emphasized that people will blame the senior players following the side's 10-wicket loss to England in the semi-finals. He, however, claimed that having someone like Kohli in the team is essential, considering his top-notch fitness and red-hot form.

Addressing Kohli's future with the team, More said:

"We should not panic. The blame game is always going to be there. But it is very important to trust the cricketers. Virat Kohli has been playing for so many years. His fitness is outstanding, he is very passionate about the game, and he has also done very well.

"So players like him are always going to be a part of the team. The senior players are fit and have performed well. The one who wins matches is always going to be in the team."

Notably, Kohli emerged as the top performer with the bat for the Men in Blue at the showpiece event, mustering 296 runs from six outings. The star batter finished with four half-centuries along with a fantastic average of 98.66.

"Not easy to remain in the national side for over 15 years" - Kiran More hails Dinesh Karthik on a wonderful career

Speaking about India's veteran gloveman Dinesh Karthik, More highlighted how the player has done a tremendous job in maintaining his place in the team for such a long period of time.

The 60-year-old lauded Karthik for making several comebacks to the team and commended him for all the hard work he has put in over the years. He said:

"Credit goes to Dinesh Karthik for staying there for so long. He has made comebacks over and over again. It is not easy to remain in the national side for over 15 years. He is mentally very tough and has worked very hard."

Karthik's career earned a new lease of life with his stint with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL 2022). The dynamic batter thrived in the role of a finisher, managing 330 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 183.33.

Squad for NZ T20Is:

Hardik Pandya (C), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (wk), W Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik.

While he featured in four matches at the T20 World Cup 2022, he failed to make a significant impact with the bat. Karthik amassed just 14 runs in the competition at a dismal average of 4.66. He has not been included in India's T20 squad for their upcoming three-match series in New Zealand.