Sunil Gavaskar Challenges Virat Kohli to Face Pakistan

 Sunil Gavaskar Challenges Virat Kohli to Face Pakistan After Struggles as Opener Against Ireland in "T20 World Cup"

"Gavaskar hopes Kohli will regain his form in the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan."

Here's how Sunil Gavaskar reacted to Virat Kohli's lowest-ever score at the T20 World Cup against Ireland.

In a match marked by Hardik Pandya's peak performance and Rohit Sharma reaching multiple milestones, batting icon Virat Kohli had a rare off day on Wednesday. Partnering with India skipper Rohit as the opening pair, 

the in-form Kohli was a key figure in the T20 World Cup 2024 opener for the Men in Blue against the European giant-killers, Ireland. Kohli's return to the opening position resulted in the non-selection of Yashasvi  Jaiswal in the Indian top order at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

While Rohit played with great intensity, Kohli's attempt at an aggressive shot resulted in a disappointing performance. The ex-India captain was dismissed after scoring just one run from five balls. Prior to India's game against Ireland, 

Kohli had an impressive T20 World Cup average of 81.5, with 14 half-centuries from 25 innings. However, his mistimed shot ended in a thick edge to third man Benjamin White, marking Kohli's lowest score in T20 World Cup history.

Sunil Gavaskar Sees Silver Lining in Virat Kohli's Rare World Cup Failure 

Despite Virat Kohli hitting an unprecedented low in his first match of the 2024 World Cup, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar remains optimistic. Gavaskar anticipates that Kohli will rebound strongly in the upcoming clash against India’s arch-rivals, Pakistan. He is confident that the former Indian captain will exceed expectations and deliver a game-changing performance against Babar Azam's team on the grandest stage.

Sunil Gavaskar has issued a caution to Babar Azam's Pakistan team, drawing a comparison with Virat Kohli.

Gavaskar noted, "Great players like Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, and Joe Root have a distinctive approach. If they fail in one match, they strive to compensate in the next. They aim to score double the runs. So, if Kohli didn't perform well against Ireland, he will be even more determined to excel and score double against Pakistan," Gavaskar stated on Star Sports following India's victory over Ireland.

Did you know?

 

Regarded as the 'chasemaster', veteran batter Virat Kohli has posted impressive scores of 78*, 36*, 54, 57*, 72*, 23, 55*, and 82 in India's run-chases at the T20 World Cup. His lowest score in a run-chase at the T20 World Cup came against Ireland. Kohli is the first batter to reach 4,000 runs in T20 internationals, amassing a total of 4,038 runs in just 110 innings, making him the all-time leading run-scorer in T20 cricket history. 

Rohit Sharma joined Kohli in this elite club, smashing a quick-fire half-century to secure India's comfortable win over Ireland. Kohli-led India is set to face Pakistan in their second Group A clash of the T20 World Cup at the same venue on Sunday.