Does Virat Kohli still fit in T20 format? Irfan Pathan answers

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Virat Kohli won the Orange Cap the previous season. He hopes to do it again in 2025. To begin their IPL 2025 campaign, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated the five-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the reigning champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Kohli got a 30-ball 31 against CSK at Chepauk and an undefeated half-century against KKR at Eden Gardens.

After assisting India in winning the 2024 World Cup, the renowned hitter announced his retirement from the T20 version of international cricket. But in the IPL, widely known as India’s greatest cricket spectacular, Kohli remains the cornerstone of the RCB batting order.

Irfan Pathan, a former cricket player for India, recently responded to fan enquiries on his own YouTube channel. Bringing up match-winning knocks by players like Ashutosh Sharma and Nicholas Pooran, one of the supporters questioned whether Kohli was truly ready for the T20 format. Pathan responded to the fan by characterising Kohli as a match-winner and outlining the function of the former RCB captain.

“You see, I think Virat Kohli can win a match. In white-ball cricket, he usually chases the ball.

He has also won a number of matches, as we have seen. He has won numerous matches for the Indian side in the IPL in addition to winning games for his squad. “He has impressive numbers,” Pathan remarked.

In T20 cricket, Kohli’s strike rate has frequently drawn criticism. Irfan, too, thinks that on wickets that aren’t the best for batting, a guy like Kohli is required. The former cricket player claimed that instead of playing the role of anchor, his former partner should attack bowlers when necessary.

“His strike rate is a topic of much discussion. However, I think that with the way T20 cricket is being played right now, you need a good player (like Kohli) wherever the ball would grip a bit. A player who can act as a glue will be necessary. The phrase “a player keeps the game moving” is my fave. Even Sunrisers Hyderabad needs a man who can hold onto his wicket from one end. Others may play around him and continue to hammer the bowlers,” Pathan remarked.

“Yes, there are times when you have to launch a two-pronged approach. And I think Virat is capable of doing that. As long as Virat continues to win games, I firmly believe he still has a position. Winning games is his responsibility. Fans will continue to discuss, as will I and other experts, despite the rest of the outside noise, including strike rate and everything else. Fans don’t need anything more, in my opinion, because he is winning matches. Therefore, these players still have a place in T20 cricket,” he said.