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Pressure on Virat Kohli, ‘great player like him’ will need to match Deepak Hooda’s performance: Ex-India opener
Virat Kohli was rested for the first T20I against England and in his absence Deepak Hooda batted at no. 3 for India.
Having been rested for the first T20I against England, all eyes will be on the selection for Team India's playing XI for the upcoming second T20I on Saturday. Senior players like Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah were rested for the first T20I after taking part in the recent fifth Test match against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham, where the visitors lost by seven wickets and the five-match series got tied at 2-2. India won the first T20I by 50 runs, with Hardik Pandya shining with both bat and ball. The all-rounder smacked 51 runs off 33 balls as India reached 198 for eight in 20 overs, setting a target of 199 runs. Then, Pandya went on to take four wickets as England were bowled out for 148 in 19.3 overs. Other than Pandya, even Deepak Hooda was in brilliant form and made a quickfire knock of 33 runs off 17 balls. Batting at no. 3, Kohli inclusion in the playing XI could see Hooda back in the bench and former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels the former captain will be under pressure.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Jaffer stated that a 'great player like' Kohli will definitely be back in the Indian playing XI but will need 'to match Hooda's work including strike-rate'.
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"Virat Kohli will definitely be back in the playing XI. There is no doubt about it although Deepak Hooda put in a good performance in the first T20I. But Kohli will need to play. A great player like him will need to come. But he will need to match Deepak Hooda's work including strike-rate", he said.
"India will need to continue with their aggressive approach", he further added.
Having had a brilliant IPL 2022 campaign with Lucknow Supergiants, Hooda has represented India in six T20Is. In four innings, he has registered 205 runs at a strike rate of 172.26. Meanwhile during IPL 2022, he slammed 451 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 136.66, mostly from the no. 3 batting position. Fans and experts will be eagerly waiting to see the playing XI, when India face England in the second T20I at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
