June 29, 2024

India’s New Virat Kohli: Why His Role is More Important Than Ever

Although Virat Kohli has struggled to score runs in his new role during the 2024 T20 World Cup, Abhishek Mukherjee is arguing that there’s no reason for him to abandon this approach.

“He’s [Virat Kohli] a quality player, and you can go through that [ordinary form]. He’s looking good, the intent is there,” assured Rohit Sharma after India’s T20 World Cup semi-final against England.

Seven matches into the 2024 T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli’s total stands at 75 runs from 75 balls. Excluding the three controversial innings on the New York surface, his performance improves slightly to 70 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 106.

Rohit Sharma’s defense of Kohli might seem like a captain rallying behind a teammate. Still, it hints at a more profound insight regarding Kohli’s form.

When India included Rohit and Kohli in the T20Is against Afghanistan earlier this year, it sent a clear message. Despite Kohli’s absence from the format since the 2022 edition, both players were being prepared for the World Cup, even at the expense of disrupting a winning team.

India’s decision to include four spinners in their World Cup squad indicated an expectation of spin-friendly pitches. This rationale likely influenced their choice to select Shivam Dube, a strong hitter against spin, over Rinku Singh. The only feasible way to fit Dube into the playing XI was to pair Kohli with Rohit at the top of the order.

With the strategy in place, one question remained: would Rohit maintain his aggressive batting approach? He had successfully embraced high-risk shots early in innings during the 2023 ODI World Cup, setting a precedent for his role.

But… would Kohli do the same?

Why was change necessary in the first place?

Reflecting on the previous World Cup final, India’s early loss of three wickets forced a cautious approach, leaving Suryakumar Yadav—an inexperienced specialist—as the only batter. This led Kohli and KL Rahul to play crucial overs with minimal gain.

To address this, India included Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI for the first time in T20Is, adding vital batting depth despite being left-arm finger-spinners.
India maintained the same lineup throughout the World Cup, making only a conditions-based switch from Mohammed Siraj to Kuldeep Yadav. Jadeja’s limited impact—facing just 20 balls and bowling 13 overs—highlighted his role as a sixth bowler and eighth batting option.

Jadeja’s inclusion was not just for insurance; it significantly shaped India’s batting strategy, allowing both openers to play aggressively. Kohli transformed from an anchor to an attacking player early in his innings.

This change was evident during the IPL, where the Royal Challengers Bangalore went from one win in seven matches to six consecutive victories. Kohli’s strike rate improved from 150 to 162 in the second phase, showing his willingness to adapt at 35 for the team’s benefit.

A Tough Initiation in the New Role

Unfortunately, India’s World Cup campaign began on a low-scoring, seamer-friendly pitch—conditions far from ideal for an anchor trying to adopt an uncharacteristically aggressive approach against the new ball. Two of Kohli’s three dismissals during the New York leg came from aerial shots on just the fifth and third balls he faced, highlighting the challenges of his new role.

The struggles continued after that. Kohli managed a scratchy 24 runs off 24 balls against Afghanistan and hit three sixes in a 28-ball 37 against Bangladesh. While he displayed moments of brilliance when he timed the ball well, neither pitch was conducive to batting. He recorded a duck against Australia and managed nine runs off nine balls against England.

In each of these matches, he fell victim to his aggressive intent. Against England, for instance, he hit a spectacular six over mid-wicket off Reece Topley. Topley adjusted his length, leading Kohli to attempt a repeat performance. He only missed the ball on a pitch where some deliveries were kept low.

It was a risky innings—perhaps as precarious as Rohit’s at the other end. Rohit thick-edged the second ball he faced, swung and missed on the fifth and sixth, and barely cleared the infield with mistimed strokes on the 11th and 13th deliveries. While it would be unjust to label Rohit’s impressive innings as mere luck, it’s undeniable that on a different day, Kohli could have experienced similar fortune.

Kohli 2.0: Redefining Performance on the Field

“When you play a slightly high-risk brand of cricket there can be times when it doesn’t come off,” said Rahul Dravid after the game. “But I love the intent. I love the way he [Kohli] went about doing it. It sets a good example for the group as well if he’s willing to do it.”

One can clearly see what Dravid meant by setting an example. Kohli, the biggest star in contemporary cricket, has embraced a high-risk role, stepping away from his usual style. This shift may inspire the rest of the team—particularly the relatively inexperienced players—to recognize that the format is more about fulfilling specific roles than individual performances. In this context, a series of low scores can be a common and acceptable outcome of adopting a high-risk approach.

Rohit feels that Kohli is “saving himself for the final”. Dravid feels that “there’s a big one coming up.” While there is no question of leaving Kohli out of the XI in the final, the scenario poses two questions.

Should Kohli continue in his aggressive role or revert to his old style? India’s last six T20 World Cup defeats, all while batting first, suggest that the anchor role may not always be relevant in such situations. Kohli averaged 49 in these games, facing 37 balls each time, but his contributions didn’t lead to success. In 2024, he has adapted to become one of several key contributors, consistently facing at least 13 balls per inning, including four occasions where he faced 40 or more.

CricViz data shows that in only one of those six innings (against New Zealand in 2021), Kohli played three aggressive shots within his first five balls. In contrast, during the 2024 edition, he played at least three attacking strokes within the first five balls in four of five innings.

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