Virat Kohli serves as a reminder of his T20 dominance during World Cup year

With a brilliant knock in the Indian Premier League, Virat Kohli proved he is more than just a marketing tool for T20 cricket. The former captain of India sent a warning to bowlers ahead of this year’s World Cup in the US and the West Indies.

Kohli is anticipated to be included in the June showcase team despite having only played two T20 internationals since November 2022. In Monday’s IPL encounter, he showed selectors what he could do by hitting a match-winning 77 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. After a two-month layoff from cricket, it was just his second game for Bengaluru, but the 35-year-old seemed to have played every game of his life, leading his side to victory as they successfully chased down the Punjab Kings’ goal of 177.

A grinning Kohli said, “I know my name is nowadays attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world, when it comes to T20 cricket,” citing remarks made earlier in the match by former England captain Kevin Pietersen. “Well, I guess I still have it.”

With an ultra-aggressive attitude against Punjab, Kohli dispelled any reservations about his ability to change his style by smashing speed bowlers over cover instead of his signature strokes that sprint off the grass.

They won’t let me hit gaps because they know I can play the cover drive rather effectively. He’s tall and he plays with players like KG (Kagiso Rabada) and Arshdeep (Singh). You have to impart some momentum to the ball if they are hitting for length,” he said. “You have to constantly work on improving your game and come up with little gameplans here and there.”

After Kohli scored his 51st IPL half-century, Dinesh Karthik struck 28 off 10 balls to seal the victory. Kohli expressed his disappointment at not being able to complete the game. “Yeah, it’s not a bad start for entering the tournament and playing after two months.” News reports