‘I think there’s a big one coming up’: Dravid on Kohli ahead of final

Team India may have recorded yet another stellar win in its T20 World Cup campaign on Thursday – the side cruised past England by 68 runs to book a place in the final – but one of the lingering concerns has been the form of its star batter, Virat Kohli. The 35-year-old batting stalwart is known for his unmatched consistency, particularly in ICC tournaments; however, the ongoing T20 World Cup has been horrid for Kohli, as he has failed to register a single 50+ score so far.

This World Cup marked the first time Kohli opened the batting for India since 2021; in his defence, he played the role only once in his entire T20I career, during a match against England. However, Kohli has been a regular opener for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and topped the list of highest run-getters in the 2024 edition of the tournament.

Throughout the ongoing World Cup, Kohli has played with an aggressive intent, which resulted in his dismissals almost every time. On Thursday, Kohli was castled after he stepped out to smash the ball through the leg side but missed the line as the ball seamed into the right-hander. India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, however, is not too worried about their star batter being out of form ahead of the all-important final against South Africa.

After Rohit Sharma staunchly defended Kohli in the post-match presentation, Dravid echoed similar sentiments in the post-match press conference. Dravid insisted that Kohli’s intent has been positive, and that is important for the team.

“You know, with Virat, the thing is, when you play a slightly high-risk brand of cricket, there can be times when it doesn’t come off,” Dravid said after the match.

“Even today, I thought he hit a really good six to set the tempo, but he was just unlucky that the ball seamed a little bit more. But I love the intent, I love the way he went about doing it.”

Rohit had hinted that Kohli is saving his best for the last (final), and Dravid agreed.

“For some reason, I don’t want to jinx it but I think there’s a big one coming up. I’m just loving his attitude and that he’s committing himself on the field – I think he deserves it,” said Dravid.

Both India and South Africa are undefeated in the tournament and will face the title clash in Barbados. While this is the Proteas’ first final in T20 World Cups, India will aim to add a second title in the tournament.