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As India gear up for a critical semi-final clash against England in the T20 World Cup, questions linger about Virat Kohli's recent form. The veteran batsman, usually a pillar of the Indian batting line-up, has endured a string of underwhelming performances in the tournament. Kohli's struggles were highlighted by a five-ball duck against Australia and his first-ever golden duck in a T20 World Cup during the match against the USA. This unwanted record puts him alongside Ashish Nehra, who achieved the same feat in 2010. As an opener throughout the tournament, Kohli's numbers have been far from ideal. He's managed only 66 runs in six innings, averaging a meager 11.00 with a strike rate of 100.
Despite these setbacks, Indian captain Rohit Sharma has publicly backed his teammate. Sharma acknowledges Kohli's struggles but remains confident in his ability to bounce back. This strong display of support could be a crucial factor in boosting Kohli's morale ahead of the high-pressure semi-final.
Rohit Sharma comes to Virat Kohli's rescue
In the pre-match press conference ahead of India versus England semifinal showdown on June 27, Rohit said:
"No, it all depends on the conditions that are there in front of us. I know it sounds boring for me to talk about conditions, conditions because that do matter a lot".
"In New York, we saw what the winning score was so to think we will go and smash is not sensible. We want to be a smart cricket team. We don't want to just talk in one language which is to just go and swing the bat," he added.
Rohit Sharma stressed the need for his team to be flexible and adjust their strategies based on the pitch and game situation. He also highlighted the importance of clear thinking and making well-informed decisions on the field
"I think it is important for us to understand the conditions and what we need to do at that time. And I have spoken about experience in this group and we rely on that experience from each player. To go out and make that decision. Whether it is playing the reverse sweep, whether it is bowling a yorker or whether it is bowling a bouncer. We rely on those individuals to make that decision," Rohit further stated.
Rohit Sharma shed more light on his leadership style, emphasizing that he trusts his players to make their own decisions.
“As a captain or coach, once the game has started, there is hardly you need to talk about what you need to do. Yes, certain aspects of the game, you can discuss but not a whole lot. We got to back them,” Rohit concluded.
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