The speculation that Virat Kohli would not be included in India’s lineup for the 2024 ICC T20 Community Cup has stunned the cricket community as a whole. This highly anticipated event, which is slated to take place in the USA and the Caribbean Islands, has been the focal point of a contentious discussion on the star Indian batter’s T20I prospects.
The argument picked up additional steam when tidbits emerged, indicating that the selection panel had discretion over Kohli’s participation in the T20 World Cup.
Stuart Broad said, “This can’t be true.”
During Kohli’s withdrawal from the Indian T20I team during the tournament’s 2022 semi-final loss to England, this decision was made. But Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were in the team for the three-match Twenty20 International series that concluded in January 2024 against Afghanistan; the latter played the whole series while the former did not play the opening game due to personal reasons.
While Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), affirmed that Rohit Sharma will captain the team in the forthcoming World Cup, he did not comment on Kohli’s prospects in Twenty20 international matches.
Stuart Broad, a former bowler for England, posted on his social media platform “X” and said, “This cannot be real. From the perspective of a fan hoping to expand the sport, Virat is the most popular player in the world, so I’m sure he’ll be chosen for the India vs. Pakistan match that the ICC is hosting in America.”
The former England bowler voiced his shock at the idea of Kohli’s exclusion, addressing cricket fans eager to witness the star Indian batsman, particularly those in the USA who have never witnessed such a high-stakes match between India and Pakistan.
Going forward, a lot will depend on how well Kohli does in the forthcoming Indian Premier League season.
On June 5 in New York, India will play their first match of the T20 World Cup 2024 against Ireland. They will play their first match against Pakistan on June 9 in New York.
On June 12 in New York, the Men in Blue will square off against the USA, who are the co-hosts, in their third encounter. India’s group stage campaign will come to an end on June 15 in Lauderhill against the young Canadian team. Unlike the first three meetings between India and Canada, this match will take place at a different location.
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