Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra believes talisman batter Virat Kohli and gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be the two pillars of reliability for the team in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Virat Kohli is in fine form as he scored 741 runs in 15 innings at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69 in IPL 2024. Kohli ended the tournament as the highest run-getter and bagged the Orange Cap award.
On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah is going to hold the key at both ends of the innings. Bumrah scalped 20 wickets in 13 matches of IPL 2024 at an average of 16.80 and an impressive economy rate of 6.48.
Meanwhile, Kohli was the highest run-getter in the previous T20 World Cup 2022, scoring 296 runs in six matches at an average of 98.67.
“They have Virat Kohli in batting and Jasprit Bumrah in bowling – two absolutely gun players and reliable players over a period of time if we talk about consistency,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“Of course, you will also have Rohit Sharma’s explosiveness, Hardik Pandya’s finishing later and Suryakumar Yadav’s incredible shots in the middle, but the two pillars of reliability, who deliver 99.9 percent of the times you expect from them, will be Virat Kohli at the top and Jasprit Bumrah,” the former India opener added.
The renowned commentator reckons India’s experience at the top level will hold them in good stead in the T20I showpiece.
“The Indian team’s strength is experience. Experience comes in very handy on the world stage. If you already know how to come out of difficult situations, and you see a lot of experience in Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah, Surykumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, and you say these guys have been there and done that,” he elaborated.
The former Delhi player added that Kuldeep Yadav will hold the key in the middle overs. Kuldeep scalped 16 wickets in 11 matches for DC in IPL 2024.
“If we see the bowling, of course, you have two left-arm spinners, both are of different kinds. I feel Kuldeep Yadav could be a massive strength because his leg-spin in the middle overs, whether it’s in New York or when we go to the West Indies, or if we reach the semi-finals and play in Guyana, he will have a very big role,” Chopra observed.
India will begin their campaign against Ireland on June 5th.
