Virat Kohli’s form will be extremely crucial for India’s T20 World Cup 2024 chances, said Tim Paine. The ninth T20 World Cup is just days away, and this is the final chance for both skipper Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid to win the prestigious ICC trophy. Even for Virat Kohli, it is a very big opportunity.
While Rohit won the T20 World Cup in its inaugural edition 17 years ago, Virat Kohli is yet to win the T20 World Cup. And for coach Dravid, who will not seek an extension with the squad when his contract expires at the end of the tournament, it’s an if not now, then never scenario.
Rohit, Dravid, and BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar believe this is the strongest 15-man roster India could have put together for the World Cup. Rohit and Virat Kohli are back, along with Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Well, if former Australia Test captain Tim Paine is to be believed, the collective efforts of the Indians may not be enough.
“I can’t see India winning the World Cup” – Tim Paine on Virat Kohli
Tim Paine believes that if India wants to compete in the World Cup, Kohli must fire more than anybody else. He believes that if Kohli has a great tournament, India will win the World Cup, and vice versa.
“I can’t see India winning the World Cup unless Virat Kohli has a really strong World Cup – bit similar to Glenn Maxwell’s form. I know he hasn’t been red-hot as of late but I can’t see Australia winning the World Cup unless Maxwell has a blinder,” Paine said on the ‘Around the Wicket’ podcast.
Virat Kohli has lit the IPL 2024 on fire, scoring over 500 runs, including a century, to retain the Orange Cap.
He was the top run-scorer in the last two World Cups, scoring 296 runs from six matches at an average of 98.66 in the 2022 T20 World Cup and 765 runs from 11 games at an average of 95.62 in last year’s ODI World Cup in India.
At 35, this could be Kohli’s final T20 World Cup, as he will be 37 in the next edition. Kohli would like to duplicate his RCB form with the Men in Blue, as he has yet to win a T20 World Cup despite coming close in 2014, 2016 and 2022.