"If I Was A Selector...": Sunil Gavaskar Gives Verdict On Virat Kohli's T20 Future

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels it would be premature to discuss Virat Kohli's future in India's T20 side, especially with the T20 World Cup set to be held next year. Kohli ended Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on a high, scoring back-to-back centuries in Royal Challengers Bangalore's last two matches. He amassed 639 runs in 14 matches in the IPL 2023, with an average of 53.25 and a strike rate of 139.82. Aprt from his two centuries, the 34-year-old also hit six fifties during the league phase.

"The next T20 World Cup will be played in 2024. There will be another IPL before that in March-April. Kohli's form should be observed at that point. There is no point talking about it now. If we are talking about an upcoming T20 international, say India are playing a match in June, then he definitely fits into the team, the kind of form that he has shown," Gavaskar said on Sports Tak.

Gavaskar urged the management to closely observe the form of senior players during IPL 2024, and then take a call on their future in the T20 side.

"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.

Gavaskar added that if he was the selector, he would pick the Kohli on the basis of his current form.

"Virat 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," he concluded.