India skipper Rohit Sharma couldn’t control his laughter over a question regarding Virat Kohli's strike-rate in the IPL 2024 season.
Rohit and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar were addressing the reporters at the BCCI headquarters on Thursday (May 2). The press conference was arranged to address queries on India’s squad announced for the T20 World Cup 2024 a couple of days back.
Kohli's strike-rate has been a topic of debate lately and Rohit and Agarkar were asked about it during the media conference in Mumbai.
The India skipper was spotted laughing at the question from the journalist before Agarkar went on to respond to it.
Here’s the video:
Agarkar defended Kohli's strike-rate in the ongoing IPL, saying that there was no point in discussing about it. The BCCI chief selector added that Kohli's experience matters in mega events and they have enough power-hitters in their ranks.
“About Virat Kohli’s strike rate I don’t think we have been discussing it. No look, he has been in great form fortunately in the IPL. No concerns there at all. With regards to what’s going in the IPL you’re still going to a World Cup. It’s still international cricket, there’s still that gap there. You’ve got to prepare knowing that there’s that gap there. That's where experience does matter. If the tournament turns out to be like the IPL is, where 220 is normal, we still have enough power. We can match that. There is no real point over-thinking. You have to look at the positives happening in the IPL. Form of the new guys, the performances. But at the end of the day, when you turn up in the World Cup, the pressure will be different,” Agarkar told reporters.
Virat Kohli has been the second-highest run-scorer in the IPL 2024 with 500 runs to his name at an average of 71.43 and a strike-rate of 147.49, including one hundred and four half-centuries.
Last week, Kohli himself responded to the criticism over his strike rate. “All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff. For me, it’s about winning games for the team and there’s a reason why you’ve done it for 15 years, you’ve done this day in and day out, you’ve won games for your teams,” Kohli had told the broadcasters.
“I’m not quite sure if you haven’t been in that situation yourself, to sit and talk about the game from the box. For me, people can talk about their assumptions day in and day out, but those who have done (it) day in and day out, they know what’s happening and it’s a kind of muscle memory for me now,” he added.
