ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Will Kohli form return by coming at number 3?

ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Will Kohli form return by coming at number 3?

1, 4 and 0...these are Virat Kohli's 3 scores of T20 World Cup 2024. In the tournament history, Virat played 27 innings before this, came at number-3 in all and never got out under 5 runs, but as soon as he started opening, he could not even touch the 5-run mark.

In such a situation, it is natural to raise the question whether Team India is losing Kohli's wicket easily? Should he leave opening and return to number-3? If Kohli comes down, who will open? Let's know the answers to all these questions...

Failed only 2 times in 10 years

T20 World Cup's top run scorer Virat Kohli has never had such a bad phase in tournament history. Before the 9th T20 World Cup, he scored 14 fifties in 27 matches, scored between 10 to 40 runs 8 times and did not bat 2 times.

In just 3 innings, Kohli's score was less than 10 runs, in this too, once he remained not out after scoring 2 runs and the team won. That is, in this tournament, he failed only 2 times in 10 years. In 2012, he could score only 2 runs against South Africa and 9 years later in 2021, he could score only 9 runs against New Zealand.

Made the first duck in T20 World Cup

Virat Kohli, the most consistent batsman in the tournament history, batted at number-3 till 2022. He was successful every time, but in 2024 he could score only one run against Ireland and 4 against Pakistan. Against America, Kohli made a golden duck, that is, he got out on the very first ball without opening the account.

Kohli got out on zero for the first time in the T20 World Cup. The common thing in all three matches was that Virat came out to open instead of number-3 position. At this position, he has scored a lot of runs in IPL, but could not succeed in ICC tournament.

Reasons for Kohli failure

Opening: Virat opened for India in 9 matches before the World Cup. He scored 400 runs at an average of around 57 and a strike rate of over 161. These included a century and 2 fifties, but as soon as he took up the opening position in the World Cup, he stopped scoring runs. He often plays cautiously and responsibly at number-3, but in opening he is focusing on increasing the score rapidly.

Attacking strategy: Virat has scored 8 centuries while opening in the IPL. In 2024, he scored 741 runs at a career best strike rate of 155. Virat applied the same attacking strategy in the World Cup as well, but failed. He was caught at third man while trying to play a big shot by coming forward against Ireland. At the same time, he was caught at covers while trying to hit a four against Pakistan. He went to hit a four on the very first ball against America, but was caught behind. That is, the attacking strategy is not working for him in the World Cup.

Will Kohli form return by coming at number-3?

Whether Virat's form will return or not, it will be known only from the upcoming matches, but we can definitely know how strong he is at number-3. Virat played 120 T20s for India and batted at number-3 108 times. In these, he scored 3,637 runs at an average of more than 51 and a strike rate of more than 136. These include 35 fifties. Apart from this, he opened in 12 matches.

In the T20 World Cup from 2012 to 2022, Virat scored 1141 runs at an average of around 82. His strike rate was more than 131 and he also scored 14 fifties. He also played a miraculous innings of 82 runs against Pakistan in the last World Cup by coming at number-3. That is, if Virat leaves opening and comes to bat at number-3, then according to the previous record, he will perform well.

If Kohli comes at number-3, who will open?

If Kohli comes at number-3, then Team India can make Yashasvi Jaiswal open. Yashasvi has opened in 17 T20s for India and has also scored 502 runs at a strike rate of around 162. These include a century and 5 fifties. That is, Team India has kept an explosive batsman in the form of Yashasvi on the bench.

Yashasvi did not play the first three matches, to include him in the playing-11, a player will have to be left out. If we look at the form of the first 3 matches, then Yashasvi Jaiswal can be played in place of Shivam Dubey or Ravindra Jadeja.

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