Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. (Photo Source: ICC)
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has urged star India batter Virat Kohli to tone down his aggression ahead of India’s much-anticipated clash against Pakistan at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Both sides will lock horns at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, on (Sunday) June 9.
Kohli scored one run in five deliveries in India’s first game of the tournament and will be keen on performing better against Pakistan. Kaif came forward to state that Kohli would be safer not going for the big shots straight away and maintaining a strike rate of 130. The former cricketer was asked if Kohli would be a danger to Pakistan, to which Kaif replied that the star batter is dangerous to any team in world cricket, not just Pakistan.
“Forget Pakistan, Virat Kohli is a danger for every team. Any team that plays against him won’t find it that easy to get him out. However, I feel he will have to tone down his aggression a little. He could score only one run off five balls in the last match, stepped down the wicket, got a top edge, and got out,” Kaif told Star Sports.
“Virat Kohli has form and is coming after playing exceptionally well in the IPL. He scored close to 700 runs. We saw the domination where he was attacking in the powerplay and hitting boundaries, playing slog sweeps, and hitting sixes against spin,” he added.
His role will be to bat 15 to 20 overs and score 60-70 runs: Kaif
Furthermore, Mohammad Kaif talked about how Virat Kohli needs to play the anchor role for the Indian team once again. Reflecting on how the ace batter should be playing 15-20 overs completely and helping his side reach a good total.
Also Read: Virat Kohli’s T20 World Cup Records and Stats against Pakistan
“He is able to play every shot but I feel he needs to tone down his strike rate slightly. Go at a strike rate of around 130 and don’t run close to 140-150. His role will be to bat 15 to 20 overs and score 60-70 runs. 70 runs from Virat Kohli’s bat will be a very good knock. Take a little time at the start, wait for the bad balls, and then play your shots,” Kaif said.