Sunil Gavaskar believes that Pakistan will feel less pressure when they face India in the Asia Cup 2025 match in Dubai because Virat Kohli is no longer part of India’s T20 team. Kohli announced his retirement from T20 internationals after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Rohit Sharma also stepped away from the T20I format.
Suryakumar Yadav is now leading a young India team. Gavaskar reminded everyone how dangerous Kohli was against Pakistan, especially during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne, and said that his absence will give relief to the opposition.
Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said, “I’m sure they will be pretty happy not to have to bowl to him. Because we have seen some fabulous innings. What about that Melbourne innings, when the match looked lost as far as India was concerned. Then he hit those unbelievable two sixes off Haris Rauf to take India close to a win and then Ashwin finished it towards the end.”
In that famous match, India was chasing 160 runs and were struggling at 31 for 4 wickets when Kohli and Hardik Pandya rescued the innings. Kohli stayed unbeaten on 82 runs from 53 balls and shifted the momentum of the game with two stunning sixes.
Gavaskar praised him further by saying, “So yes, if I were a Pakistani, I would certainly be breathing a lot easier. That they are not playing against Kohli. Kohli, the cricketer, not just the batter.”
Virat Kohli has played 11 T20Is against Pakistan and scored 492 runs. Meanwhile, both teams have won their respectivefirst matches of the Asia Cup.
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