Virat Kohli no longer preferred choice for India’s T20Is, Ishan Kishan being looked at No. 3: Report

India’s run machine Virat Kohli is reportedly not in BCCI’s scheme of things for T20Is. Ahead of the T20 World Cup in June 2024, the focus has been shifted from Virat Kohli to Ishan Kishan, reports suggest.

King Kohli, who was the leading run-scorer of the 2023 ODI World Cup, is reportedly no longer the choice for India’s playing eleven in the T20 World Cup. In a comprehensive five-hour meeting that was held in New Delhi, India’s captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, and the selection committee led by former player Ajit Agarkar discussed and devised a strategic plan for the upcoming World Cup.

Meanwhile, India has only six T20I matches remaining, three against South Africa and three against Afghanistan before the finalizing of the squad for the T20 World Cup. Furthermore, Kohli will be absent during India’s tour to South Africa as he has requested breaks from all the white-ball leg of the South Africa series.

While Rohit Sharma and bowler Jasprit Bumrah are certain to be included in the playing XI, Kohli’s place in the T20 World Cup squad is not guaranteed. Owing to his impressive performance at the top order in the World Cup, Rohit Sharma deserves one final opportunity to showcase his skills at an ICC event.

However, the same thing cannot be said for Kohli despite his impressive performance in the World Cup where he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries.