Virat Kohli will definitely be in my T20I team on current form: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said that India batter Virat Kohli would certainly make the cut in his T20I team considering his impressive form in the format. Notably, the batter relished a splendid run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, with the bat for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

The swashbuckling right-hander accumulated 639 runs in 14 appearances in the IPL 2023 with six fifties and two centuries to his account. Though there were questions raised on whether Kohli should return to the national setup for T20Is, Gavaskar gave a straightforward remark based on his current form.

“Virat (Kohli) would definitely be in my T20I team on current form for India’s upcoming matches in the format. He has scored two hundreds (in IPL 2023). Hitting two hundreds in T20 cricket, even scoring 50 is difficult. This great batter has notched up two hundreds. If I was a selector and India were playing a T20 in June this year, I would, without doubt, pick him in the squad,” Gavaskar told Sports Tak.

Form needs to be observed before next T20 World Cup: Sunil Gavaskar

As per reports, the BCCI is working towards a plan so as to rejig the setup for the T20Is and build a new squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, slated to be held in West Indies and America. However, Gavaskar further highlighted that the players’ form will need to be observed during the next edition of the IPL, prior to the T20 World Cup.

“If we are talking about an upcoming T20 international, say India are playing a match in June, then he (Kohli) definitely fits into the team, the kind of form that he has shown. But, speaking about the 2024 World Cup, which will be held in West Indies and America, the form of players needs to be observed in the IPL before that and then we can talk about selection for the World Cup squad,” he added.