Does Virat Kohli still fit in T20 format? Irfan Pathan answers

Virat Kohli won the Orange Cap last year in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and he would want to repeat the feat in 2025. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has defeated defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and five-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to start their IPL 2025 campaign. Kohli scored an unbeaten half-century against KKR at Eden Gardens and a 30-ball 31 versus CSK at Chepauk.

The legendary batter retired from the T20 format in international cricket after helping India win the 2024 World Cup. However, Kohli continues to be the linchpin of the RCB batting order in the IPL, which is also referred to as India's biggest cricket extravaganza.

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan recently answered questions from fans on his official YouTube channel. One of the fans asked whether Kohli is really fit for the T20 format, mentioning match-winning knocks from the likes of Ashutosh Sharma and Nicholas Pooran. Replying to the fan, Pathan described Kohli as a match-winner and explained the role that the former RCB skipper plays.

"See, I believe that Virat Kohli is a match-winner. His role in white-ball cricket is generally to chase the game. And we have seen that he has won several matches. In the IPL, he has won games for his team, he has also won the Indian team many matches. His numbers are remarkable," Pathan said.

Kohli's strike rate in T20 cricket has often come under scrutiny. However, Irfan believes that a player of Kohli's calibre is needed on pitches which are not ideal for batting. The former cricketer said that his former teammate could also attack bowlers when needed, ditching the anchor's role.

"A lot of talk goes around about his strike rate. However, I believe that currently, the way T20 cricket is being played, wherever the ball will grip a bit, you will need a good player (like Kohli). You will need a player who will play the role of a glue. This is my favourite word, a player keeps the game moving. Even a team like Sunrisers Hyderabad, they need a player who will keep his wicket intact from one end. Others can keep hitting the bowlers while playing around him," Pathan said.

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"Yes, there are some instances where you need to attack from both ends. And I believe Virat can do that work. So, 100%, I feel Virat still has a place as long as he wins matches. His job is to win matches. The rest of the outside noise, like strike rate and all, fans will keep talking, me and other experts will keep talking. He is winning matches, I don't think fans need anything else. So, there is still a place for these types of players in T20 cricket," he concluded.