If Kohli becomes a little slow against spinners, then it wouldn’t be surprising: Aakash Chopra

Star India batter Virat Kohli will be making a return to T20Is after 14 months in the upcoming India vs Afghanistan series beginning from Thursday, January 11 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Notably, Kohli last played in the T20 World Cup 2022 where India were knocked out of the semi-finals after a crushing ten-wicket defeat against England.

However, the 35-year-old will be missing out from the first game of the series due to personal reasons and will return for the last two games of the series. Ahead of his return to the shortest format of international cricket, former India cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra stated that Kohli should open the innings in T20s as he’s at his best in that position.

Also Read: IND vs AFG 2024: Virat Kohli to miss first T20I due to personal reasons

"In my opinion, Kohli is at his best in T20s when he opens the innings and bats in the powerplay overs. If you don’t give him that option and if he becomes a little slow against spinners, then it wouldn’t be surprising. That’s because it has happened regularly. So, will Kohli open? I don’t think so. I feel one of either Yashasvi (Jaiswal) or (Shubman) Gill will play. Gill is a senior player so he may play and Yashasvi will have to sit out. It won’t be fair, but that can happen. I see Kohli batting at No. 3," Chopra told JioCinema.

Notably, Kohli opens the batting in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore and has been hugely successful with the bat. In the previous edition of the tournament in 2023, he finished as the fourth-highest run scorer of the season at an average of 53.25 and a strike rate of 139.82 with two hundreds and six fifties to his name.

Also Read: IND vs AFG: Rashid Khan to not take part in the series, confirms Ibrahim Zadran

Virat Kohli is the most prolific batter in T20Is

The Delhi-born cricketer is the most prolific batter in both T20Is and T20 World Cup. Kohli has 4008 runs in T20Is from 107 innings at an average of 52.73 with one hundred and seven fifties to his name. On the other hand, he has 1141 runs to his name in the T20 World Cup from 25 innings at an average of 81.50 and a strike rate of 131.30 with 14 half-centuries. 

With the T20 World Cup 2024 five months away, the batting maestro will look to get himself into good touch ahead of the tournament by scoring a plethora of runs against Afghanistan.