T20 World Cup 2024: 'If Virat Kohli Gives Himself Some Time, His Form Won't Be a Concern,' reckons Aakash Chopra

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As Team India prepare for their game against Afghanistan in the Super 8 stage in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024, all eyes will be on star batter Virat Kohli, whose form has been a concern so far in the marquee competition.

In the latest episode of #AAKASHVANI on JioCinema, cricket analyst Aakash Chopra provided a deep dive into Kohli's performance and previewed India's upcoming Super 8 fixture against Afghanistan.

T20 World Cup 2024: Virat Kohli's Performance So Far

The talismanic India cricketer - who has opened the batting for India in the ongoing competition - has had scores of 1, 4, 0 in the three outings. Aakash Chopra remains optimistic about Kohli's ability to bounce back, not due to the perceived weakness of the Afghan team but because of the star cricketer's prowess and the form he displayed leading into the tournament.

"I believe Virat Kohli should return to form against Afghanistan, not because of the opponent, but because of the calibre of player he is and the form he exhibited coming into this World Cup. Considering the venue, there is hope the ball will come onto the bat well, and the side boundaries aren't very large. I think he has been overly aggressive," Chopra stated.

Chopra pointed out that Kohli has been overly aggressive in his approach, which has led to his early dismissals. In their last match against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, Kohli was dismissed attempting a six on the very first ball. Chopra believes this approach has not paid off for Kohli in the World Cup thus far.

Chopra advised that Kohli should give himself some time at the crease, especially considering the formidable form of Afghan bowlers like Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq, along with their strong spin attack. He emphasised that if Kohli adopts a more patient strategy, his form will not be a concern moving forward.

"I hope he gives himself some time because Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq are in excellent form, plus they have a strong spin attack. If Kohli gives himself some time, his form won't be a concern," the former India opener remarked.

Impact of West Indies Pitches on Super 8 Games in T20 World Cup

Discussing the pitches in the West Indies, Chopra noted the challenges they present to batters. The pitch in New York was particularly unsuitable for T20 cricket, favouring bowlers over batters. Chopra believes every venue in the Caribbean would offer unique challenges to the batters in Super 8s.

"The pitch in New York was not suitable for T20 cricket, with batters struggling and bowlers dominating. In the West Indies, each venue offers a different challenge. The Tarouba pitch has minimal bounce, in Guyana, the ball turns a lot, and Barbados has a decent surface. Overall, the pitches are tough for batters, and high-scoring games will be rare," he added further.

Toss Strategy for India vs Afghanistan

Chopra recommended that India should look to win the toss and bat first, a strategy that has historically been successful on this ground. Afghanistan, while strong in defending totals with their exceptional spinners, tends to struggle when chasing. Although Rashid Khan did not have an outstanding IPL 2024 season, and other Afghan bowlers underperformed, Chopra remains confident in India's ability to secure a favourable result.

"Winning the toss and opting to bat first could be advantageous, as historically, it has been a successful strategy on this ground. Afghanistan tends to struggle while chasing targets but excels at defending them, thanks to their exceptional spin bowlers. However, Rashid Khan did not have a stellar TATA IPL season, and their other bowlers also underperformed. Therefore, I'm confident that India will play well and secure a good result," he remarked.

As Team India prepare for their first Super 8 game against continental rivals, Afghanistan, the focus will be Kohli's performance - who notched up his maiden T20I century against the same opponents. Given Kohli's records and his understanding of the West Indian pitches, fans will be hoping for a turnaround.