‘Kohli Is Glue Of Indian Cricket Team’: AB De Villiers On Virat’s Batting Position For T20 World Cup 2024
New Delhi: Former South Africa cricketer Ab de Villiers lavished praise on Virat Kohli and also opened up for his batting order in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 as several reports are claiming that Kohli will open for India along with skipper Rohit Sharma in the marquee event which will take place in June later this year.
There are speculations about India’s playing XI for the T20 World Cup since Virat and Rohit made a comeback in shorter format of the game. De Villers reckoned that Kohli batting at number 3 was the biggest threat for Proteas during his playing days.
“I have a different opinion. For the most part of my international career, Virat batting at No. 3 was the biggest threat for us when we played against India. I’ve always felt like he was the glue of the team in the middle-order. No. 3 is not quite middle-order, it is top-order. But he is so good that he often combined with the middle-order, even down to tailenders. It’s just impossible to play against that.”
However, Kohli has not opened in the recently concluded T20I against Afghanistan, this is the only T20I he played after India’s loss in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. India already sealed the first-ever white ball series against Afghanistan and now Rohit Sharma’s men will eye a series whitewash.
This is the last T20I for India before the T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma is unable to score a single run so far in in his T20I outing against Afghanistan, since this is a rubber dead match. This is a big chance for India captain to get his Mojo back.
“With a new ball, facing the first few deliveries there, I just think that the chances of getting a good delivery up front are so much better. I’m worried about that position. Even though the numbers don’t look bad, I have some other stats for you. When Virat faces the very first ball as an opener, his average is 23 and strike rate is 138. When he doesn’t face the first ball and is at the non-striker’s end, he averages 140 with a strike rate of 173.”
After finishing T20I series against Afghanistan Team India will assemble in Hyderabad for the practice of Test series against England which will be played later this year. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will feature in the series.