Virat Kohli was dismissed for 9 off 9 balls in the semi-final against England.
India’s star batter Virat Kohli is experiencing a terrible time in the ongoing T20 World Cup. After a string of low scores in the group stage and Super 8 round, he endured another failure in the semi-final against England in Guyana on Thursday (June 27).
Kohli took five balls to open his account and was dismissed by left-arm pacer Reece Topley for 9 off 9 balls. Before the semi-final, his scores in the tournament were 1, 4, 0, 24, 37, and 0.
Kohli’s lean patch has triggered discussions that India should alter their top order for the title clash, with young left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal warming the bench.
However, India head coach Rahul Dravid has backed Virat Kohli to do well in the final. Dravid also appreciated Kohli’s aggressive intent and his desire to capitalise on the fielding restrictions.
“You know with Virat, the thing is, when you play a slightly high-risk brand of cricket there can be times when it doesn’t come off. Even today, I thought he hit a good six to set the tempo but he was just unlucky that the ball seamed a little bit more. But I love the intent, I love the way he went about doing it. It sets a good example for the group as well if he’s willing to do it,” Dravid told Star Sports after India’s 68-run win over England in the semi-final.
The India coach also echoed skipper Rohit Sharma’s sentiments, saying that there is a big knock left in Kohli and said he might be saving it for the final.
“And you know, for some reason, I don’t want to jinx it but I think there’s a big one coming up. I’m just loving his attitude and that he’s committing himself on the field – I think he deserves it,” Dravid remarked.
India will now take on South Africa in the title clash at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday (June 29).
Just like India, the Proteas have made it to the final without losing a single match in the competition. They outclassed Afghanistan by nine wickets in the first semi-final to book their maiden place in the World Cup final.
(With Firstpost Inputs)