South African pace legend Dale Steyn believes that the upcoming IPL season holds a great importance for India’s star batter Virat Kohli.

Steyn mentioned that several other batters have surpassed Kohli in recent months and the latter needs to score significant amount of runs in the IPL 2024 to solidify his position in India's T20 World Cup squad.

Notably, Kohli has been out of action since T20I series against Afghanistan at home in January. He opted out of the entire five-match Test series against England, citing personal reasons.

"I think, look, it's very important that he scores runs because it will put him in a good frame going to the World Cup.

"There're many guys who have leapfrogged him recently because he's taken a bit of a break and there're many contenders that are possible to take to that World Cup (squad)," Steyn said in an interaction during the 'Star Sports Press Room.'

Since India’s semi-final exit from the T20 World Cup 2022, Virat Kohli has only featured in two T20Is. However, Steyn emphasized that Kohli's wealth of experience could prove invaluable when selectors assemble to finalize the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, slated to be held in the West Indies and USA from Juen 1 to June 29.

"I look at runs the same way that you look at someone's bank balance, so to speak. Virat has got stacks and stacks of runs that he stored up over many years.

"It is going to work when India is looking to pick a team that goes to the World Cup. They're going to look for guys who have been there and done that and that's something Virat has done," he said.

Steyn also opined that it will be a challenging task for Hardik Pandya to replace Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians captain.

"I think it will be challenging ... the whole dynamics of leaving Mumbai and then coming back to Mumbai. I hope they have some sort of camp a month before the IPL. So, anything that's bothering anyone kind of gets ironed out before the first game."

However, Steyn said MI should be fine under Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans to the title win and the final in 2022 and 2023 seasons respectively.

"You've got big personalities, guys who have done the decision making before and now in a different role. It might be that little needle that we might not be able to see or hear on TV. But these international cricketers know how to put aside the ego, and I think Mumbai will be just fine," he remarked.

(With PTI Inputs)