Kohli was at his brutal best against Afghanistan in Indore. (Source: X.com)
I had gone to pick up my daughter from school when a group of young boys walked up to me and asked if they could speak for a minute. Curiosity got the better of me and despite being late, I had a chat. “Sir, you keep saying it is about performance,” said one of the boys. “We see your shows. But then, how can Virat be dropped on the basis of performance? He was the highest scorer in the World Cup and in the World T20 in Australia, he played the greatest T20 innings.” Clearly, he was a Kohli fan. But more importantly, he was an Indian cricket fan. For the last few days, I have been seeing pieces which suggest that the selectors have decided to leave Kohli out of the team for the T20 World Cup. While they could indeed do so, the question is on what basis? Reports suggest that they feel Kohli’s game isn’t suited to the conditions on offer in the USA and the Caribbean. Really? The stadium in the US isn’t even ready, so there is no way of knowing what conditions will be on offer. And to say that the world’s best batsman can’t adapt to them is plain silly. The only thing that should influence Kohli’s selection in the team is performance. If he is in good form and striking at 140 in the IPL, how can he be left out of the team? On what basis and rationale? Isn’t such a thing unfair? When we add his fielding to the mix, and he still saves 15 runs every game, it’s surprising to see that there are so many such reports.
Virat Kohli in action during the CWC 2023 (Photo: Debasis Sen)
Make no mistake, anyone can be dropped. In fact, no one is indispensable. India will need a team that is capable of winning the World Cup and Kohli should be picked if he can make a difference. The point is that, so far, he has. Each time he has played a big event, he has left a strong mark on the tournament. The 2022 T20 World Cup was an example. And the 50-over World Cup on home soil offered more conclusive proof. Without doubt, the selectors can have a chat with Kohli and outline what they expect from him. But to suggest that his game doesn’t suit the conditions in the Caribbean is ridiculous. A quality player can adapt to every condition and there is no doubting his quality. If he can evolve right through his career, there is little to suggest he cannot one final time. He is keen and hungry, and will want to win a world title for India. Going by performance and the volume of runs scored, it is almost impossible to drop Kohli. If he fails in the IPL, only then could a case be made. But if he scores and scores big, how do you look beyond him and why? Now, to Brand Kohli. For the ICC, the T20 World Cup is a very important tournament which comes at a very critical time. The 2028 Olympics are just four years away and the US market is warming up to the sport. Major League Cricket (MLC) is now an annual feature, and the India-Pakistan match in New York is expected to be a high point in the US sporting calendar.
To market the World Cup in the US, you need Kohli. He is cricket’s biggest brand, and to think that India would look beyond him when there is little reason to do so is baffling. The Caribbean too is a dead cricket market. A Shamar Joseph happens once in a blue moon. Otherwise, West Indies cricket is in the doldrums. The sport badly needs new money and Brand Kohli is key to the World Cup getting adequate traction within the Caribbean. In every sense, the last words on Kohli haven’t been heard or written. Rather, it is fair to say the IPL could play a major role in deciding whether he will be picked or not. A good IPL should settle the debate, while a modest tournament will only add to the murmurs. So if Rishabh Pant is the subject of huge interest, so is Kohli, with a lot at stake going forward.
