Virat Kohli might retire from T20Is after World Cup to extend his longevity in other formats – Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan gun fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has predicted that Virat Kohli might call it a day from T20Is after the upcoming World Cup in order to extend his longevity in other formats. Kohli had earlier relinquished his captaincy duties from the T20I and Test formats and he was sacked as ODI captain as BCCI wanted the same captain for the limited-overs version.

The right-hander recently returned back to form in the Asia Cup as he had scored 276 runs in five matches at an average of 92 and a strike rate of 147.59.

Kohli has had a great T20I career so far as he has amassed 3584 (the highest for any batter) runs in 104 matches at an impressive average of 51.94 and a strike rate of 138.38.

Kohli is still at the top of his fitness and there is no doubt that he still has a lot of fuel left in his tank. However, there is no denying the fact that consistently playing all three formats of the game in the last decade has taken its toll even on a fit player like Virat Kohli.

The talisman had recently taken a break of one month from the game and had admitted that he was going through a difficult time mentally when he wasn’t in the best of forms.

“Kohli might just take retirement after the T20 World Cup. He may do that to extend his longevity in the other formats. If I was him, I would have looked at the larger picture and taken a call,” Shoaib Akhtar said in a live session hosted by India.com.

Virat Kohli has been a consistent performer for India and it will be interesting to note if he decides to hang his boots from the shortest format of the game.

Kohli is going to hold the key for the team in the T20 World Cup and his return to form is a great boost for the team ahead of the marquee event.

The linchpin will be seen in action in the first T20I against Australia in Mohali on 20th September.