'Don't want to come up against him' - Maxwell opines on drama surrounding Kohli's T20 WC spot
Virat Kohli has Glenn Maxwell's backing for place in T20 World Cup squad
Australia and RCB all-rounder Glenn Maxwell admits Virat Kohli is the most clutch player he has played against, backing the India star for breaking into the final 15 for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in June. Contrary to several media reports suggesting that the selectors are unhappy with Kohli's moderate strike rate in IPL 2024, Maxwell feels such is Kohli's impact on the game that if he doesn't get picked, his absence will only benefit the opposition.
Following Kohli's eighth IPL hundred that came against Rajasthan Royals in the side's previous game, he received flak for registering his slowest century in the league (in 67 balls), with countless fans slamming this as the reason behind his team's loss, their fourth so far in the tournament.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Maxwell said he remains in awe of Kohli's innings against Australia in Mohali during the 2016 T20 WC, which he labels the best innings played by anyone against him on that stage. Maxwell also joked about speculations of selectors overlooking Kohli for the 20-team tournament, adding Australia would benefit big time if Kohli gets dropped.
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"Virat Kohli is the most clutch player I have ever played against," Maxwell said while talking to ESPNcricinfo.
"The innings he played against us in Mohali during the 2016 T20 World Cup is still the best innings I have ever seen played against me. His awareness of what he needs to do to win the game is just phenomenal.
"I hope India don't pick him (for T20 World Cup) because it will be great to not come up against him," Maxwell joked.
Not easy to break into the Indian Team
Considering India's population density and how countless cricketers emerge onto the scene considering the game's craze, Maxwell said he understands the thought behind some fans wanting to replace Kohli with someone with a better strike rate.
"It's not surprising because there are 1.5 billion (people in India) and I reckon half of them are unbelievable cricketers in this country (laughs). It's a hard team to get into. You look at India's top T20 players who are all playing in this tournament (IPL 2024). They are phenomenal players and there should be heat on every player," Maxwell continued.
Meanwhile, Kohli leads the run-chart in IPL 2024 after five games, with 316 runs at a strike rate of 146.30, including a hundred.
His team, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Mumbai Indians in Thursday's clash at the Wankhede Stadium.
