Senior India batter Virat Kohli has made a massive jump of 14 places in the latest T20I rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday. Kohli has moved to the 15th spot in the T20I rankings for batters after his heroics in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 where he was the highest run-getter for the Indian team.

Kohli had dropped down to the 29th spot in the T20I rankings after enduring a lean patch with the bat. However, he bounced back to form in style during the Asia Cup 2022 where he notched up back-to-back fifties before smashing his 71st international century in style. Kohli finished the tournament as the second-highest run-getter overall behind Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan.

While Rizwan remains the no.1 batter in T20Is, Kohli is now at the 15th spot. The Indian maestro brought an end to a nearly three-year-long wait for his 71st international hundred in India's last Super Four clash against Afghanistan where he slammed a brilliant knock of 122 runs.

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Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who had a disappointing campaign in the Asia Cup, lost his second spot to South Africa's Aiden Markram. In the bowling rankings, Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar moved to the seventh spot from eleventh after finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup 2022 with eleven wickets to his name.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanind Hasaranga also was among the big gainers in the latest ICC T20I rankings. He moved three places to the sixth spot in the bowling rankings after his brilliant performances in the Asia Cup where he was the second highest wicket-taker behind Bhuvneshwar with nine wickets at an economy rate of 7.39.

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Hasaranga played an instrumental role in helping Sri Lanka win the Asia Cup title after beating Pakistan in the final. While he scalped nine wickets, he also scored 66 runs, including a crucial knock of 21-ball 36 in the final.&nbsp;

In the rankings for all-rounders, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan regained his top spot after vital contributions to his team in the Asia Cup. Shakib replaced Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi as the no.1 T20I all-rounder after scoring 35 runs and picking up a solitary wicket in two games in the Asia Cup.

Senior India batter Virat Kohli has made a massive jump of 14 places in the latest T20I rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday. Kohli has moved to the 15th spot in the T20I rankings for batters after his heroics in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 where he was the highest run-getter for the Indian team.

Senior India batter Virat Kohli has made a massive jump of 14 places in the latest T20I rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday. Kohli has moved to the 15th spot in the T20I rankings for batters after his heroics in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 where he was the highest run-getter for the Indian team. Kohli had dropped down to the 29th spot in the T20I rankings after enduring a lean patch with the bat. However, he bounced back to form in style during the Asia Cup 2022 where he notched up back-to-back fifties before smashing his 71st international century in style. Kohli finished the tournament as the second-highest run-getter overall behind Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan. While Rizwan remains the no.1 batter in T20Is, Kohli is now at the 15th spot. The Indian maestro brought an end to a nearly three-year-long wait for his 71st international hundred in India's last Super Four clash against Afghanistan where he slammed a brilliant knock of 122 runs. Also Read: What went wrong for Rohit Sharma-led India in Asia Cup 2022? Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who had a disappointing campaign in the Asia Cup, lost his second spot to South Africa's Aiden Markram. In the bowling rankings, Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar moved to the seventh spot from eleventh after finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup 2022 with eleven wickets to his name. Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanind Hasaranga also was among the big gainers in the latest ICC T20I rankings. He moved three places to the sixth spot in the bowling rankings after his brilliant performances in the Asia Cup where he was the second highest wicket-taker behind Bhuvneshwar with nine wickets at an economy rate of 7.39. Also Read: 'Some retire only once': Amit Mishra takes a dig at Shahid Afiridi over his retirement advice to Virat Kohli Hasaranga played an instrumental role in helping Sri Lanka win the Asia Cup title after beating Pakistan in the final. While he scalped nine wickets, he also scored 66 runs, including a crucial knock of 21-ball 36 in the final. In the rankings for all-rounders, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan regained his top spot after vital contributions to his team in the Asia Cup. Shakib replaced Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi as the no.1 T20I all-rounder after scoring 35 runs and picking up a solitary wicket in two games in the Asia Cup.

Virat Kohli jumps 14 places in latest ICC T20I rankings after Asia Cup heroics, Md. Rizwan remains on top

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition on Monday evening (September 12). As expected, the main squad comprises all the big guns who featured in the Asia Cup but also saw the return of premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel.

In the reserve list, Md Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi were named. Former Indian captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up on India's squad for the showpiece event, in Australia from October-November, and named the star player who can be Men in Blue's finisher. While the squad features some known finishers such as Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant, Vengsarkar feels Suryakumar Yadav can do the tough job at the forthcoming ICC event.

"I can’t really comment on who bats at what number. It is up to the think tank, the coach, the captain and the vice-captain. But I feel Suryakumar Yadav, who is batting at 4, can bat at 5 as well. He can be a great finisher," Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

"T20 is not like ODIs and Test cricket, where you need certain batters at certain positions. In this format, anybody can bat anywhere. You don’t have time to settle down. One should go after the bowlers from ball one," he opined.

SKY ended the Asia Cup with 139 runs -- eighth-highest overall&nbsp;and second-most among Indians -- including a breathtaking 26-ball 68 not out versus Hong Kong.

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The 1983 World Cup-winning member Vengsarkar also mentioned the three players he would've picked had he been part of the&nbsp;current selection committee. "I would have picked Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup. Would have given them a long run in T20Is because they all had a brilliant IPL season," he added.

India's T20 World Cup squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Arshdeep Singh.

Standby players:&nbsp;Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, and Deepak Chahar.

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition on Monday evening (September 12). As expected, the main squad comprises all the big guns who featured in the Asia Cup but also saw the return of premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel.

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition on Monday evening (September 12). As expected, the main squad comprises all the big guns who featured in the Asia Cup but also saw the return of premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel. In the reserve list, Md Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi were named. Former Indian captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up on India's squad for the showpiece event, in Australia from October-November, and named the star player who can be Men in Blue's finisher. While the squad features some known finishers such as Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant, Vengsarkar feels Suryakumar Yadav can do the tough job at the forthcoming ICC event. "I can’t really comment on who bats at what number. It is up to the think tank, the coach, the captain and the vice-captain. But I feel Suryakumar Yadav, who is batting at 4, can bat at 5 as well. He can be a great finisher," Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. "T20 is not like ODIs and Test cricket, where you need certain batters at certain positions. In this format, anybody can bat anywhere. You don’t have time to settle down. One should go after the bowlers from ball one," he opined. SKY ended the Asia Cup with 139 runs -- eighth-highest overall and second-most among Indians -- including a breathtaking 26-ball 68 not out versus Hong Kong. ALSO READ | Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option, feels Aakash Chopra as he analyses India's T20 WC squad The 1983 World Cup-winning member Vengsarkar also mentioned the three players he would've picked had he been part of the current selection committee. "I would have picked Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup. Would have given them a long run in T20Is because they all had a brilliant IPL season," he added. India's T20 World Cup squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Arshdeep Singh. Standby players: Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, and Deepak Chahar.

'He can be a great finisher in T20 WC' - Ex-cricketer expects star player to do the tough job for India

Rohit Sharma is set to lead India in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, from October-November. He will be desperate to get a hand on the trophy and join MS Dhoni in becoming only the second Indian captain to clinch the mega title. Before that, Rohit received huge words of praise from former Pakistan opener Salman Butt, who believes that Hitman is the only player who comes close to matching AB de Villiers' heroics with the bat. Nonetheless, when it comes to comparing&nbsp;him with Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Md Rizwan, Butt refrained from doing so.&nbsp;

Butt believes Rohit is a far more skilled player than Rizwan and Babar -- who are currently the top-two ranked T20I batters,&nbsp;respectively&nbsp;-- but would've been more destructive had his fitness levels been even half as good as Virat Kohli's.&nbsp;“Unka (Rohit) comparison nahi banta (with Babar and Rizwan). With his set of skills, Rohit ki fitness Kohli se aadhi bhi ho, toh usse zyada destructive player nahi hai. Fir uska aur sirf AB de Villiers ka match reh jaata hai, beechme koi player nahi aata. Agar woh (Rohit) bohot fit hotey Kohli ki tarah toh pata nahi woh kya kartey. (Rohit can't be compared with Babar and Rizwan. With his set of skills, Rohit would be the most destructive player if his fitness levels were half as good as Kohli's. Only AB de Villiers comes close to him)” Butt opined on his YouTube channel.

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Rohit is easily one of the most successful openers of all time. His career's biggest turnaround came when he was promoted as an opener in early 2013. Since then, there has been no looking back for the Indian captain, who has over 16,133 runs across formats (9,376 in ODIs and 3,620 in T20Is). Nonetheless, it is his fitness levels which many believe are still not up to the mark as the veteran batter has missed plenty of away Test series in recent times. In the current Indian team, he is given breaks at regular intervals to manage his workload and also keep him away from injuries.

Kohli, on the other hand, has been the torch-bearer in bringing a huge change in Indian cricket when it comes to fitness standards. He has hardly missed international assignments due to injury concerns and has a huge fan base for inculcating the significance of fitness&nbsp;in the Team India camp, apart from his plethora of runs across formats.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma is set to lead India in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, from October-November. He will be desperate to get a hand on the trophy and join MS Dhoni in becoming only the second Indian captain to clinch the mega title.

Rohit Sharma is set to lead India in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, from October-November. He will be desperate to get a hand on the trophy and join MS Dhoni in becoming only the second Indian captain to clinch the mega title. Before that, Rohit received huge words of praise from former Pakistan opener Salman Butt, who believes that Hitman is the only player who comes close to matching AB de Villiers' heroics with the bat. Nonetheless, when it comes to comparing him with Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Md Rizwan, Butt refrained from doing so. Butt believes Rohit is a far more skilled player than Rizwan and Babar -- who are currently the top-two ranked T20I batters, respectively -- but would've been more destructive had his fitness levels been even half as good as Virat Kohli's. “Unka (Rohit) comparison nahi banta (with Babar and Rizwan). With his set of skills, Rohit ki fitness Kohli se aadhi bhi ho, toh usse zyada destructive player nahi hai. Fir uska aur sirf AB de Villiers ka match reh jaata hai, beechme koi player nahi aata. Agar woh (Rohit) bohot fit hotey Kohli ki tarah toh pata nahi woh kya kartey. (Rohit can't be compared with Babar and Rizwan. With his set of skills, Rohit would be the most destructive player if his fitness levels were half as good as Kohli's. Only AB de Villiers comes close to him)” Butt opined on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ | Who is in, who is out? A look at changes in India's squads for T20 Word Cup 2021 and 2022 Rohit is easily one of the most successful openers of all time. His career's biggest turnaround came when he was promoted as an opener in early 2013. Since then, there has been no looking back for the Indian captain, who has over 16,133 runs across formats (9,376 in ODIs and 3,620 in T20Is). Nonetheless, it is his fitness levels which many believe are still not up to the mark as the veteran batter has missed plenty of away Test series in recent times. In the current Indian team, he is given breaks at regular intervals to manage his workload and also keep him away from injuries. Kohli, on the other hand, has been the torch-bearer in bringing a huge change in Indian cricket when it comes to fitness standards. He has hardly missed international assignments due to injury concerns and has a huge fan base for inculcating the significance of fitness in the Team India camp, apart from his plethora of runs across formats.

Rohit would've been most destructive player if his fitness levels were half as good as Virat's: Ex-Pak skipper

India ended their Asia Cup campaign on a disappointing note by failing to make it to the final. They were tournament-favourites prior to the multi-nation event but failed to get past the Super Four round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively. While Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. fell flat in pressure situations to bow out, the national side would be pleased seeing Virat Kohli return to form in the continental tournament, held in the UAE.

Kohli entered the multi-nation tournament with a strong of poor performances in the England tour before opting for a break in the West Indies tour, followed by skipping a second-stringed India's trip to Zimbabwe in mid-August. In the Asia Cup, the 33-year-old ended with second-most runs in the tournament, slamming 276 runs in five outings, and also ended his century drought to announce his return to form in style. His good returns will surely keep the team management in good stead ahead of the T20 World Cup -- in Australia from October-November -- and hope for him to continue in a similar manner.

It is to be noted that Kohli's 71st international ton came when he opened the Indian innings, in Rohit's absence, during the Men in Blue's inconsequential Super Four clash versus Afghanistan in Dubai. Thus, former Indian batter Rohan Gavaskar feels the right-hander should continue to open in the shortest format.

“Look, in terms of should Virat be opening, I think it’s a great option. You look at his T20 numbers, they are outstanding. He averages about 55-57 and his strike rate is about 160. Those are phenomenal numbers. His last innings, again unbeaten innings of 122, tells you that he probably relishes opening as well,” Gavaskar said while interacting&nbsp;with Sports18.

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"If memory serves me right, he wanted to open or he said he wanted to open in the Indian T20 league in this edition or the last edition, he said that’s the spot I want to be. So, it’s obviously something that he wants to do. So, it’s definitely a big option for the Indian team,” the former left-handed batsman added.

It will be interesting to see if Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team will opt to change the opening pair and promote Kohli up the order. Incase that happens, it will be intriguing to see where they slot white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul going ahead in the shortest format of the game.

India ended their Asia Cup campaign on a disappointing note by failing to make it to the final. They were tournament-favourites prior to the multi-nation event but failed to get past the Super Four round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively.

India ended their Asia Cup campaign on a disappointing note by failing to make it to the final. They were tournament-favourites prior to the multi-nation event but failed to get past the Super Four round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively. While Rohit Sharma & Co. fell flat in pressure situations to bow out, the national side would be pleased seeing Virat Kohli return to form in the continental tournament, held in the UAE. Kohli entered the multi-nation tournament with a strong of poor performances in the England tour before opting for a break in the West Indies tour, followed by skipping a second-stringed India's trip to Zimbabwe in mid-August. In the Asia Cup, the 33-year-old ended with second-most runs in the tournament, slamming 276 runs in five outings, and also ended his century drought to announce his return to form in style. His good returns will surely keep the team management in good stead ahead of the T20 World Cup -- in Australia from October-November -- and hope for him to continue in a similar manner. It is to be noted that Kohli's 71st international ton came when he opened the Indian innings, in Rohit's absence, during the Men in Blue's inconsequential Super Four clash versus Afghanistan in Dubai. Thus, former Indian batter Rohan Gavaskar feels the right-hander should continue to open in the shortest format. “Look, in terms of should Virat be opening, I think it’s a great option. You look at his T20 numbers, they are outstanding. He averages about 55-57 and his strike rate is about 160. Those are phenomenal numbers. His last innings, again unbeaten innings of 122, tells you that he probably relishes opening as well,” Gavaskar said while interacting with Sports18. ALSO READ | 'Shouldn't reach stage where....': Shahid Afridi's advice for Virat Kohli on international retirement "If memory serves me right, he wanted to open or he said he wanted to open in the Indian T20 league in this edition or the last edition, he said that’s the spot I want to be. So, it’s obviously something that he wants to do. So, it’s definitely a big option for the Indian team,” the former left-handed batsman added. It will be interesting to see if Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team will opt to change the opening pair and promote Kohli up the order. Incase that happens, it will be intriguing to see where they slot white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul going ahead in the shortest format of the game.

'A big option for Team India' - Rohan Gavaskar shares Virat Kohli's ideal batting spot ahead of T20 World Cup

Virat Kohli made a remarkable comeback in international cricket during the Asia Cup 2022 edition, after his break post the England tour, to return with scores of 35 (34), 59* (44), 60 (44), 0 (4) and 122* (61). Despite India's campaign ending on a disappointing note, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. will be breathing a sigh of relief that their star batter Kohli has regained form heading into the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November.&nbsp;

As Kohli ended his international century drought during the continental tournament, eventually won by Sri Lanka, by finally slamming his&nbsp;71st ton at the highest level during India's consolation win over Afghanistan, he has put an end to all talks regarding his&nbsp;form concerns. Thus, he will now step into India's last few white-ball matches, in the run-up to the T20 WC, with a free mind and look to carry his form in the upcoming ICC tournament to help India win the coveted trophy Down Under.

Ahead of India's next few assignments, at home, and the T20 WC, former Pakistan captain-cum-all-rounder Shahid Afridi lavished huge praise on Kohli and also shared retirement advice for the ex-Indian captain.&nbsp;"The way Virat has played, the start that he had to his career, there was struggle initially before he made a name for himself. He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement. But in that scenario, the aim should be to go out on a high," Afridi told Samaa TV.

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"It shouldn't reach a stage where you are dropped from the team and instead when you are at your peak. It seldom happens though. Very few players, especially cricketers from Asia Cup make that decision, but I feel when Virat does it, he will do it style and probably in the same manner in which he started his career," he concluded.

The 33-year-old Kohli will be desperate to add a T20 WC trophy to his cabinet, having already won the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy with the national side. While he surely has a lot of cricket left in him before even thinking of retirement, the veteran will also take a leaf from Afridi and aim to sign off on a high.

In 468 internationals, Kohli has amassed 8,074, 12,344 and 3,584 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, respectively, and is already a legend of the gentlemen's game.

Virat Kohli made a remarkable comeback in international cricket during the Asia Cup 2022 edition, after his break post the England tour, to return with scores of 35 (34), 59* (44), 60 (44), 0 (4) and 122* (61).

Virat Kohli made a remarkable comeback in international cricket during the Asia Cup 2022 edition, after his break post the England tour, to return with scores of 35 (34), 59* (44), 60 (44), 0 (4) and 122* (61). Despite India's campaign ending on a disappointing note, Rohit Sharma & Co. will be breathing a sigh of relief that their star batter Kohli has regained form heading into the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. As Kohli ended his international century drought during the continental tournament, eventually won by Sri Lanka, by finally slamming his 71st ton at the highest level during India's consolation win over Afghanistan, he has put an end to all talks regarding his form concerns. Thus, he will now step into India's last few white-ball matches, in the run-up to the T20 WC, with a free mind and look to carry his form in the upcoming ICC tournament to help India win the coveted trophy Down Under. Ahead of India's next few assignments, at home, and the T20 WC, former Pakistan captain-cum-all-rounder Shahid Afridi lavished huge praise on Kohli and also shared retirement advice for the ex-Indian captain. "The way Virat has played, the start that he had to his career, there was struggle initially before he made a name for himself. He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement. But in that scenario, the aim should be to go out on a high," Afridi told Samaa TV. ALSO READ | Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter "It shouldn't reach a stage where you are dropped from the team and instead when you are at your peak. It seldom happens though. Very few players, especially cricketers from Asia Cup make that decision, but I feel when Virat does it, he will do it style and probably in the same manner in which he started his career," he concluded. The 33-year-old Kohli will be desperate to add a T20 WC trophy to his cabinet, having already won the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy with the national side. While he surely has a lot of cricket left in him before even thinking of retirement, the veteran will also take a leaf from Afridi and aim to sign off on a high. In 468 internationals, Kohli has amassed 8,074, 12,344 and 3,584 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, respectively, and is already a legend of the gentlemen's game.

'Shouldn't reach stage where....': Shahid Afridi's advice for Virat Kohli on international retirement

India's final squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI selection committee on Monday (September 12). A strong team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been named as the Men in Blue ardent fans are expecting fireworks from the national side in the upcoming ICC event, to be held in Australia from October-November. The squad comprises a good mix of youth and experience whereas there are a few notable omissions.&nbsp;

While there are always varied reactions on squad selections, the former Indian opener-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar has advised one and all to back the Rohit-led side for the showpiece event Down Under.&nbsp;Speaking to&nbsp;India Today, Gavaskar said, "This looks a very good team. With Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel coming in, it looks like India will be able to defend their totals. India have had problems in trying to defend totals. These two stalwarts coming in will certainly give the edge to India when defending totals."

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He further asserted, "Deepak Chahar is one name that stands out, but they have also retained Arshdeep Singh, who gives a left-arm option in the attack. Like I said, it's a good selection. We can always crib about this thing and that thing. But now the selection is done, this is India's team. So let's not ask why not this, why not that? We should back this team 100 per cent. Now that the selection is done, it's our team, back them 100 per cent."

In the main squad, the likes of Rohit, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik have been named whereas the likes of Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh have also made the cut. Senior bowlers R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah have been added whereas Harshal Patel also found a spot. Among the reserves, India have kept more bowling options by including Md Shami, Deepak Chahar and Ravi Bishnoi whereas Shreyas Iyer is a backup batter.

India will kick off their campaign versus arch-rivals Pakistan, on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne, as they are placed in Pool B along with the Men in Green, South Africa, Bangladesh and two more teams will join both groups from the qualifiers.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

India's final squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI selection committee on Monday (September 12). A strong team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been named as the Men in Blue ardent fans are expecting fireworks from the national side in the upcoming ICC event, to be held in Australia from October-November.

India's final squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI selection committee on Monday (September 12). A strong team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been named as the Men in Blue ardent fans are expecting fireworks from the national side in the upcoming ICC event, to be held in Australia from October-November. The squad comprises a good mix of youth and experience whereas there are a few notable omissions. While there are always varied reactions on squad selections, the former Indian opener-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar has advised one and all to back the Rohit-led side for the showpiece event Down Under. Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said, "This looks a very good team. With Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel coming in, it looks like India will be able to defend their totals. India have had problems in trying to defend totals. These two stalwarts coming in will certainly give the edge to India when defending totals." ALSO READ | India's T20 WC squad: Dravid-Rohit favoured R Ashwin over Md Shami during selection meeting - Report He further asserted, "Deepak Chahar is one name that stands out, but they have also retained Arshdeep Singh, who gives a left-arm option in the attack. Like I said, it's a good selection. We can always crib about this thing and that thing. But now the selection is done, this is India's team. So let's not ask why not this, why not that? We should back this team 100 per cent. Now that the selection is done, it's our team, back them 100 per cent." In the main squad, the likes of Rohit, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik have been named whereas the likes of Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh have also made the cut. Senior bowlers R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah have been added whereas Harshal Patel also found a spot. Among the reserves, India have kept more bowling options by including Md Shami, Deepak Chahar and Ravi Bishnoi whereas Shreyas Iyer is a backup batter. India will kick off their campaign versus arch-rivals Pakistan, on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne, as they are placed in Pool B along with the Men in Green, South Africa, Bangladesh and two more teams will join both groups from the qualifiers. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

'We can always crib but...: Sunil Gavaskar reacts as BCCI names India's final squad for T20 World Cup

Team India bowed out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition, eventually won by Sri Lanka, by winning only one game in the Super Four round. With a disappointing performance, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. are under pressure with the T20 World Cup nearing its commencement. Ahead of the showpiece event in Australia, from October-November, India are set to play as many as three bilateral series at home, including two T20Is and a 50-over series.

India will play Australia in three T20Is and then host South Africa in as many T20Is and ODIs. Playing an ODI series right before the T20 WC doesn't make any sense. Thus, Shikhar Dhawan is expected to lead the ODI bunch in the SA home series with all the T20 WC-bound players set to be rested, as per a report in InsideSport. With Dhawan to take charge, VVS Laxman -- current NCA head -- is likely to act as the stand-in coach with Rahul Dravid &amp; Co. flying Down Under.&nbsp;

"Yes, it is not ideal to have an ODI series before the T20 World Cup, but that is how it goes sometimes. Rohit, Virat, and all T20 World Cup-bound players will be rested from the ODI series. They will get a short break before departing for Australia. Shikhar will lead the side," a senior BCCI official told&nbsp;InsideSport.

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jasprit-bumrah-harshal-patel-set-to-return-for-indias-t20-world-cup-campaign-report-515227">Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel set to return for India's T20 World Cup campaign: Report</a>

Star players such as Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Harshal Patel might feature in the ODIs versus Temba Bavuma-led Proteas due to lack of match practice. Both Bumrah and Harshal missed the Asia Cup due to injury concerns but are expected to be a part of the final squad for the T20 WC. Hence, the pace duo might be given a run in the SA ODIs as well, along with white-ball vice-captain Rahul who has returned to international cricket only in mid-August.

It is reported that Indian players are expected to leave for Australia on October 10, six days before their first warm-up game. But head coach Dravid wants his players to get as much competitive practice as possible and, thus, can himself be a part of the Proteas ODIs and then leave with his players on October 12, along with their South African counterparts. Nonetheless, the likes of Rohit, Virat Kohli, and Hardik Pandya will still be rested in any case.

"Rahul wants the players to have better competitive practice, but we believe it could be detrimental. However, it will be put to discussion during the selection meeting and we will decide in due course. If Rahul decides to stay with the squad for ODIs, the squad will leave for Australia along with South African players on October 12," the BCCI official added.

Given that India failed in the last edition of the T20 WC and slipped downwards in the Asia Cup, they will be extra cautious in how they move ahead going into the upcoming ICC event&nbsp;(from next month).
</section>

Team India bowed out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition, eventually won by Sri Lanka, by winning only one game in the Super Four round. With a disappointing performance, Rohit Sharma & Co.

Team India bowed out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition, eventually won by Sri Lanka, by winning only one game in the Super Four round. With a disappointing performance, Rohit Sharma & Co. are under pressure with the T20 World Cup nearing its commencement. Ahead of the showpiece event in Australia, from October-November, India are set to play as many as three bilateral series at home, including two T20Is and a 50-over series. India will play Australia in three T20Is and then host South Africa in as many T20Is and ODIs. Playing an ODI series right before the T20 WC doesn't make any sense. Thus, Shikhar Dhawan is expected to lead the ODI bunch in the SA home series with all the T20 WC-bound players set to be rested, as per a report in InsideSport. With Dhawan to take charge, VVS Laxman -- current NCA head -- is likely to act as the stand-in coach with Rahul Dravid & Co. flying Down Under. "Yes, it is not ideal to have an ODI series before the T20 World Cup, but that is how it goes sometimes. Rohit, Virat, and all T20 World Cup-bound players will be rested from the ODI series. They will get a short break before departing for Australia. Shikhar will lead the side," a senior BCCI official told InsideSport. ALSO READ | Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel set to return for India's T20 World Cup campaign: Report Star players such as Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Harshal Patel might feature in the ODIs versus Temba Bavuma-led Proteas due to lack of match practice. Both Bumrah and Harshal missed the Asia Cup due to injury concerns but are expected to be a part of the final squad for the T20 WC. Hence, the pace duo might be given a run in the SA ODIs as well, along with white-ball vice-captain Rahul who has returned to international cricket only in mid-August. It is reported that Indian players are expected to leave for Australia on October 10, six days before their first warm-up game. But head coach Dravid wants his players to get as much competitive practice as possible and, thus, can himself be a part of the Proteas ODIs and then leave with his players on October 12, along with their South African counterparts. Nonetheless, the likes of Rohit, Virat Kohli, and Hardik Pandya will still be rested in any case. "Rahul wants the players to have better competitive practice, but we believe it could be detrimental. However, it will be put to discussion during the selection meeting and we will decide in due course. If Rahul decides to stay with the squad for ODIs, the squad will leave for Australia along with South African players on October 12," the BCCI official added. Given that India failed in the last edition of the T20 WC and slipped downwards in the Asia Cup, they will be extra cautious in how they move ahead going into the upcoming ICC event (from next month).

Shikhar Dhawan to captain India in home ODIs vs SA with T20 WC-bound players to be rested: Report

Team India had a disappointing run in the just-concluded Asia Cup, where they failed to get past the Super Four round. After topping their group, India lost their opening two games in the Super Four and bowed out despite thumping Afghanistan by 101 runs. Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia from October-November, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Virender Sehwag opened up on a glaring issue that Indian players need to address.

In the recent past, there have been a lot&nbsp;of injury concerns for the Men in Blue. The likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Harshal Patel, etc. have been injured, which has added to India's woes. In the Asia Cup, Jadeja was ruled out with a knee injury and is very likely to not be a part of the T20 WC squad. Thus, Sehwag feels Indian players shouldn't lift heavy weights in the gym during the course of a series.&nbsp;

“India's problems have been injuries that didn't happen on the cricket field. No one is addressing that. Hardik Pandya got injured while bowling. Most of the players are getting injured at the gym or outside the match. We didn't see Jadeja getting injured on a cricket field. After the match, we came to know that he has an injury. That means the things that are happening outside or in the gym need to be addressed," said Sehwag on Cricbuzz.

“Skills are important. Once you are in the Indian team and playing a series, gym is not as important as skills. If you have a two-month break, then fitness becomes important,” the former Indian opener opined.

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Sehwag further asserted, “I learnt this from Sachin Tendulkar. Whenever he came into the team, I never saw him lifting more than 6-8kg weights. I asked him, 'what's the point of lifting such low weights?' He replied, 'this is my maintenance. I've to play a match, I'm only doing this to keep my rhythm intact, so that I don't lose my power'. You see the players these days, Virat Kohli and others posting videos of lifting 50-60-70 kg weights during a series, which actually increases the chances of injury,” he concluded.

As per reports, the BCCI selectors are set to announce India's T20 WC squad on Monday evening (September 12). It will be interesting to see who all make the cut and who will be the players to miss out due to injury issues. Ahead of the upcoming ICC event, India will host Australia and South Africa in white-ball series and look to avoid injury concerns before boarding the flight for Australia.

Team India had a disappointing run in the just-concluded Asia Cup, where they failed to get past the Super Four round. After topping their group, India lost their opening two games in the Super Four and bowed out despite thumping Afghanistan by 101 runs.

Team India had a disappointing run in the just-concluded Asia Cup, where they failed to get past the Super Four round. After topping their group, India lost their opening two games in the Super Four and bowed out despite thumping Afghanistan by 101 runs. Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia from October-November, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Virender Sehwag opened up on a glaring issue that Indian players need to address. In the recent past, there have been a lot of injury concerns for the Men in Blue. The likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Harshal Patel, etc. have been injured, which has added to India's woes. In the Asia Cup, Jadeja was ruled out with a knee injury and is very likely to not be a part of the T20 WC squad. Thus, Sehwag feels Indian players shouldn't lift heavy weights in the gym during the course of a series. “India's problems have been injuries that didn't happen on the cricket field. No one is addressing that. Hardik Pandya got injured while bowling. Most of the players are getting injured at the gym or outside the match. We didn't see Jadeja getting injured on a cricket field. After the match, we came to know that he has an injury. That means the things that are happening outside or in the gym need to be addressed," said Sehwag on Cricbuzz. “Skills are important. Once you are in the Indian team and playing a series, gym is not as important as skills. If you have a two-month break, then fitness becomes important,” the former Indian opener opined. ALSO READ | Shahid Afridi makes heads turn, reveals his daughter was 'waving Indian flag' during Indo-Pak Super 4 tie Sehwag further asserted, “I learnt this from Sachin Tendulkar. Whenever he came into the team, I never saw him lifting more than 6-8kg weights. I asked him, 'what's the point of lifting such low weights?' He replied, 'this is my maintenance. I've to play a match, I'm only doing this to keep my rhythm intact, so that I don't lose my power'. You see the players these days, Virat Kohli and others posting videos of lifting 50-60-70 kg weights during a series, which actually increases the chances of injury,” he concluded. As per reports, the BCCI selectors are set to announce India's T20 WC squad on Monday evening (September 12). It will be interesting to see who all make the cut and who will be the players to miss out due to injury issues. Ahead of the upcoming ICC event, India will host Australia and South Africa in white-ball series and look to avoid injury concerns before boarding the flight for Australia.

'Learnt this from Sachin Tendulkar' - Virender Sehwag on why Team India stars are getting injured regularly

Although Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja put on an inspiring performance in the Asia Cup, it seems like their future in the shortest format of the game may be in jeopardy.

While in conversation with IndsideSport, a&nbsp;BCCI official has reportedly opened up about the onset of a transition period in the aftermath of the forthcoming ICC Men's T20I World Cup.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sri-lanka-cannot-be-taken-easy-wasim-akram-picks-his-favourites-ahead-of-asia-cup-2022-final-515136" hreflang="en">'Sri Lanka cannot be taken easy': Wasim Akram picks his favourites ahead of Asia Cup 2022 final</a>

The senior official revealed that should everything go according to the BCCI's plan, Kohli and Jadeja may be asked to step down from their T20I roles so that they can be preserved for longer formats.&nbsp;

"See, it’s nothing new. After every big event, there is a transition period. After last year’s World Cup, Shami was transitioned to focus on the two formats. Virat isn’t getting any younger. With the number of matches we play, he has to be managed as well.

"And we feel there needs to be a change. For Jadeja, the sheer number of injuries is a concern. We will discuss the transition plans after the World Cup."

Although Kohli would prefer to compete freely across formats, it is important to note that it is impractical to compete consistently at the highest level with the amount of cricket that is being played.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-is-close-to-my-heart-pakistan-head-coach-saqlain-mushtaq-on-kohli-vs-babar-debate-515145" hreflang="en">Virat is close to my heart: Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq on Kohli vs Babar debate</a>

With India hosting the&nbsp;ODI World Cup in 2023, the shortest format of the game in the country will be put on the back burner after the ICC T20 World Cup.

Owing to these circumstances, the&nbsp;decision of stepping away from the format could be made relatively easy for the likes of Kohli and Jadeja, making the transition period for both the players and the team much more manageable.&nbsp;

Although Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja put on an inspiring performance in the Asia Cup, it seems like their future in the shortest format of the game may be in jeopardy.

Although Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja put on an inspiring performance in the Asia Cup, it seems like their future in the shortest format of the game may be in jeopardy. While in conversation with IndsideSport, a BCCI official has reportedly opened up about the onset of a transition period in the aftermath of the forthcoming ICC Men's T20I World Cup. ALSO READ: 'Sri Lanka cannot be taken easy': Wasim Akram picks his favourites ahead of Asia Cup 2022 final The senior official revealed that should everything go according to the BCCI's plan, Kohli and Jadeja may be asked to step down from their T20I roles so that they can be preserved for longer formats. "See, it’s nothing new. After every big event, there is a transition period. After last year’s World Cup, Shami was transitioned to focus on the two formats. Virat isn’t getting any younger. With the number of matches we play, he has to be managed as well. "And we feel there needs to be a change. For Jadeja, the sheer number of injuries is a concern. We will discuss the transition plans after the World Cup." Although Kohli would prefer to compete freely across formats, it is important to note that it is impractical to compete consistently at the highest level with the amount of cricket that is being played. ALSO READ: Virat is close to my heart: Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq on Kohli vs Babar debate With India hosting the ODI World Cup in 2023, the shortest format of the game in the country will be put on the back burner after the ICC T20 World Cup. Owing to these circumstances, the decision of stepping away from the format could be made relatively easy for the likes of Kohli and Jadeja, making the transition period for both the players and the team much more manageable.

BCCI official admits Virat Kohli’s spot in India's T20I squad not confirmed after World Cup

Virat Kohli is regarded as one of the greatest batters to have played the game and is often pipped against his contemporaries when it comes to the debate over the best in the world. Kohli has been one of the most prolific run-getters for India over the years and has already established his credentials as one of the best of all time.

Despite his lean patch in international cricket over the last few months, Kohli's numbers remained world-class and it was only a matter of time before he returned to form in the Asia Cup 2022. The former India captain rediscovered his old mojo in the Asia Cup with back-to-back fifties and a much-awaited 71st international century.

Kohli notched up a fantastic knock of 122 runs against Afghanistan to bring an end to his nearly three-year-long wait for an international hundred and joined Ricky Ponting at the second spot on the list of batters with the most number of centuries in international cricket. While Kohli went on a redemption journey, his competitor Babar Azam suffered a dip in form in the Asia Cup.

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The duo share a great rapport with each other but the Pakistan captain has often been compared against Kohli for his batting exploits across formats for the Men in Green. Babar has not been at his best in the Asia Cup with only 64 runs in five matches so far.

Ahead of the final between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq was asked for his take on the Kohli vs Babar debate. While he picked the Pakistan skipper over the Indian batting maestro, Mushtaq admitted Kohli has a special place in his heart.

"Definitely Babar kahunga... but Virat mere dil ke bohot karib hai (I will definitely pick Babar, but Virat is close to my heart).

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With over 24,000 runs in international cricket, Kohli is already cunted among the legends of the game and Babar has a long way to go if he needs to come close to the former India captain. Babar has been among the most consistent batters across formats in the last few years but he will have to continue performing at the same level for a number of years to match Kohli.

Babar will be looking to bounce back to form and make an impactful contribution when Pakistan lock horns with Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. Pakistan last won the tournament in 2012&nbsp;while Sri Lanka have not won the title since 2014.

Virat Kohli is regarded as one of the greatest batters to have played the game and is often pipped against his contemporaries when it comes to the debate over the best in the world.

Virat Kohli is regarded as one of the greatest batters to have played the game and is often pipped against his contemporaries when it comes to the debate over the best in the world. Kohli has been one of the most prolific run-getters for India over the years and has already established his credentials as one of the best of all time. Despite his lean patch in international cricket over the last few months, Kohli's numbers remained world-class and it was only a matter of time before he returned to form in the Asia Cup 2022. The former India captain rediscovered his old mojo in the Asia Cup with back-to-back fifties and a much-awaited 71st international century. Kohli notched up a fantastic knock of 122 runs against Afghanistan to bring an end to his nearly three-year-long wait for an international hundred and joined Ricky Ponting at the second spot on the list of batters with the most number of centuries in international cricket. While Kohli went on a redemption journey, his competitor Babar Azam suffered a dip in form in the Asia Cup. Also Read: 'Sri Lanka cannot be taken easy': Wasim Akram picks his favourites ahead of Asia Cup 2022 final The duo share a great rapport with each other but the Pakistan captain has often been compared against Kohli for his batting exploits across formats for the Men in Green. Babar has not been at his best in the Asia Cup with only 64 runs in five matches so far. Ahead of the final between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq was asked for his take on the Kohli vs Babar debate. While he picked the Pakistan skipper over the Indian batting maestro, Mushtaq admitted Kohli has a special place in his heart. "Definitely Babar kahunga... but Virat mere dil ke bohot karib hai (I will definitely pick Babar, but Virat is close to my heart). Also Read: 'Have they lost their minds': Miandad slams Afghanistan for bad behaviour against Pakistan in Asia Cup With over 24,000 runs in international cricket, Kohli is already cunted among the legends of the game and Babar has a long way to go if he needs to come close to the former India captain. Babar has been among the most consistent batters across formats in the last few years but he will have to continue performing at the same level for a number of years to match Kohli. Babar will be looking to bounce back to form and make an impactful contribution when Pakistan lock horns with Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. Pakistan last won the tournament in 2012 while Sri Lanka have not won the title since 2014.

Virat is close to my heart: Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq on Kohli vs Babar debate

What went wrong for Rohit Sharma-led India in Asia Cup 2022?

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly recently offered fans insight into his take on Virat Kohli's athletic prowess and prospects on the field.&nbsp;

Ganguly waxed lyrical about Kohli in a recently surfaced video on YouTube. He admitted that even&nbsp;though they had competed on the field in&nbsp;different generations, Kohli had the makings of surpassing Ganguly owing to his unique set of skills.

Ganguly also admitted that although he had featured in more matches than Kohli over the course of his lengthy career, the 33-year-old is well on his way to overcome him in that regard.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/others-wouldnt-have-survived-gautam-gambhir-on-virat-kohli-being-in-indian-team-for-3-years-without-a-ton-514878" hreflang="en">Others wouldn't have survived: Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli being in Indian team for 3 years without a ton</a>

“The comparison should be in terms of skill as a player. I think he is more skilful than I’m. We played in different generations, and we played a lot of cricket."

"I played in my generation, and he will continue playing, probably playing more games than I did. Currently, I have played more than what he has but he’ll get past that. He is tremendous.”&nbsp;

He subsequently went on to admit that he was counting on Kohli to make his way back to his former glory, which he seems like he has as the former Indian skipper managed to record his first international ton against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/experiment-in-bilateral-series-not-asia-cup-former-world-cup-winner-after-indias-dismal-show-514897" hreflang="en">Experiment in bilateral series not Asia Cup: Former World Cup-winner after India's dismal show</a>

“Let him practice, let him play matches. He is a big player and has scored plenty of runs. I am hopeful that he will make a comeback. He is just not being able to score a century and I believe he will find his form in the Asia Cup,” said Ganguly.

Having recorded the international century that had remained extremely elusive for over 1000 days, Virat Kohli will hope to carry the same form into his upcoming outings alongside the Men in Blue.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly recently offered fans insight into his take on Virat Kohli's athletic prowess and prospects on the field. Ganguly waxed lyrical about Kohli in a recently surfaced video on YouTube.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly recently offered fans insight into his take on Virat Kohli's athletic prowess and prospects on the field. Ganguly waxed lyrical about Kohli in a recently surfaced video on YouTube. He admitted that even though they had competed on the field in different generations, Kohli had the makings of surpassing Ganguly owing to his unique set of skills. Ganguly also admitted that although he had featured in more matches than Kohli over the course of his lengthy career, the 33-year-old is well on his way to overcome him in that regard. ALSO READ: Others wouldn't have survived: Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli being in Indian team for 3 years without a ton “The comparison should be in terms of skill as a player. I think he is more skilful than I’m. We played in different generations, and we played a lot of cricket." "I played in my generation, and he will continue playing, probably playing more games than I did. Currently, I have played more than what he has but he’ll get past that. He is tremendous.” He subsequently went on to admit that he was counting on Kohli to make his way back to his former glory, which he seems like he has as the former Indian skipper managed to record his first international ton against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup. ALSO READ: Experiment in bilateral series not Asia Cup: Former World Cup-winner after India's dismal show “Let him practice, let him play matches. He is a big player and has scored plenty of runs. I am hopeful that he will make a comeback. He is just not being able to score a century and I believe he will find his form in the Asia Cup,” said Ganguly. Having recorded the international century that had remained extremely elusive for over 1000 days, Virat Kohli will hope to carry the same form into his upcoming outings alongside the Men in Blue.

‘He is more skilful’- Sourav Ganguly rates Virat Kohli higher than himself

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri lauded Virat Kohli and said the batting maestro will be feeling much lighter after bringing an end to his long-standing century drought against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday. Kohli brought an end to a wait of 1020 days to notch up his 71st century in international cricket.

It was brilliant knock from the former India captain, who had headed into the tournament amid massive criticism over his lean patch. Kohli seemed to have found his lost mojo in the tournament as he scored runs consistently before shattering his century drought against Afghanistan on Thursday.

It was a brilliant knock of 122 runs off 61 balls for Kohli as he slammed his maiden hundred in T20Is and set up a comfortable 101-run win for India. Even though, Kohli never spoke about his century drought bothering him, Shastri said the India batter would be feeling five kilos lighter as the monkey is off his back now.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-is-crunch-time-for-rahul-dravid-ex-bcci-selector-after-indias-disappointing-exit-from-asia-cup-2022-514825">This is crunch time for Rahul Dravid: Ex-BCCI selector after India's disappointing exit from Asia Cup 2022</a>

"You mentioned 1020 days, I can say 700 days I was in that dressing room when that happened. It's a long time. The monkey is off his back now. When you had astounding success like he has, when 70 hundreds come like this, then you go through a patch of one, two years, two-and-half years, two-and-three quarter years, and then everyday people start reminding - 'It's been that long'. He is human. It would have been eating him up. He would be getting up every morning, whether thinking of it or not, subconsciously being reminded," Shastri said on Star Sports.

"Today, I think he will be five kilos less. Don't ask me where the weight has gone from, five kilos less at least from the head. You could see from the last 40 runs of his innings. It was Virat Kohli. His trade mark shots, the confidence, the poise, the utter disdain for bowling is back. It took a long time coming," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unhappy-bcci-admonish-ravindra-jadeja-for-irresponsibility-towards-fitness-and-health-ahead-of-world-cup-514738">'Unhappy' BCCI admonish Ravindra Jadeja for irresponsibility towards fitness and health ahead of World Cup</a>

Kohli seems to have now rediscovered his form and will be keen to continue his purple patch in India's upcoming assignments ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year. His return to form is crucial for India's chances in the tournament as Kohli is expected to play a big role for India in the World Cup Down Under.

Kohli has now joined the legendary Ricky Ponting on the second spot in the list of batters with most centuries in international cricket. He is only behind batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who remains the only man to have slammed 100 centuries in international cricket. 
&nbsp;

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri lauded Virat Kohli and said the batting maestro will be feeling much lighter after bringing an end to his long-standing century drought against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri lauded Virat Kohli and said the batting maestro will be feeling much lighter after bringing an end to his long-standing century drought against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday. Kohli brought an end to a wait of 1020 days to notch up his 71st century in international cricket. It was brilliant knock from the former India captain, who had headed into the tournament amid massive criticism over his lean patch. Kohli seemed to have found his lost mojo in the tournament as he scored runs consistently before shattering his century drought against Afghanistan on Thursday. It was a brilliant knock of 122 runs off 61 balls for Kohli as he slammed his maiden hundred in T20Is and set up a comfortable 101-run win for India. Even though, Kohli never spoke about his century drought bothering him, Shastri said the India batter would be feeling five kilos lighter as the monkey is off his back now. Also Read: This is crunch time for Rahul Dravid: Ex-BCCI selector after India's disappointing exit from Asia Cup 2022 "You mentioned 1020 days, I can say 700 days I was in that dressing room when that happened. It's a long time. The monkey is off his back now. When you had astounding success like he has, when 70 hundreds come like this, then you go through a patch of one, two years, two-and-half years, two-and-three quarter years, and then everyday people start reminding - 'It's been that long'. He is human. It would have been eating him up. He would be getting up every morning, whether thinking of it or not, subconsciously being reminded," Shastri said on Star Sports. "Today, I think he will be five kilos less. Don't ask me where the weight has gone from, five kilos less at least from the head. You could see from the last 40 runs of his innings. It was Virat Kohli. His trade mark shots, the confidence, the poise, the utter disdain for bowling is back. It took a long time coming," he added. Also Read: 'Unhappy' BCCI admonish Ravindra Jadeja for irresponsibility towards fitness and health ahead of World Cup Kohli seems to have now rediscovered his form and will be keen to continue his purple patch in India's upcoming assignments ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year. His return to form is crucial for India's chances in the tournament as Kohli is expected to play a big role for India in the World Cup Down Under. Kohli has now joined the legendary Ricky Ponting on the second spot in the list of batters with most centuries in international cricket. He is only behind batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who remains the only man to have slammed 100 centuries in international cricket.

Virat Kohli will be five kilos less: Ravi Shastri lauds India batter after his 71st international century

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes no one would have survived for three years in the Indian crickt team without a century in international cricket. Gambhir believes Kohli got a long rope despite not scoring a hundred for over 1,000 days but no other batter would have earned that luxury.

Kohli, who brought an end to his long-standing century drought on Thursday, had scored his last ton for India in November 2019. He went without scoring a century for a staggering 1020 days between November 2019 to September 2022 before finnaly ending the drought with a stunning 122-run knock against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2022 earlier this week.

Kohli's lean patch with the willow saw him face crictisim from all corners in the build up to the Asia Cup with many also questioining his spot in the India's T20I squad. However, he had the continuous backing of the team management despite not delivering consistently.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-will-be-five-kilos-less-ravi-shastri-lauds-india-batter-after-his-71st-international-century-514847">Virat Kohli will be five kilos less: Ravi Shastri lauds India batter after his 71st international century</a>

"You have to realise that it is three years, not three months. Three years is a very long time. And I'm not trying to be critical of him, but he has earned that just because he has got loads of runs in the past. But I don't think so that any of the younger batters would have survived in international cricket had they not got a hundred in last three years," Gambhir said on Star Sports.

The former India opener cited the example of the likes of current skipper Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and R Ashwin among others who have all been droped under Kohli's captaincy in the past for not performing consistently. Gambhir believes only Kohli could have survived without a century for three years as he has earned that cushion with his past performances.

"Eventually it had to happen and it happened at the right time as well. You are just approaching the T20 World Cup and he's got a hundred so he has got the monkey off his back. But let's be fair and absolutely honest, I don't think any one in the dressing room would have survived three years without a hundred," said Gambhir.

People like Ashwin, Rahane, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have been dropped. I don't know one guy who hasn't been dropped after not having scored a hundred in three years. It is only Virat Kohli and probably he has earned that," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-is-crunch-time-for-rahul-dravid-ex-bcci-selector-after-indias-disappointing-exit-from-asia-cup-2022-514825">This is crunch time for Rahul Dravid: Ex-BCCI selector after India's disappointing exit from Asia Cup 2022</a>

Kohli brought an end to a long wait for his 71st hundred in style with a magnificent knock against Afghanistan. He scored 122 off 61 balls laced with 12 fours and two sixes. It was Kohli's maiden ton in T20Is as he registered the highest score by an Indian batter in the shortest format to power India to a 101-run victory in the game.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes no one would have survived for three years in the Indian crickt team without a century in international cricket. Gambhir believes Kohli got a long rope despite not scoring a hundred for over 1,000 days but no other batter would have earned that luxury.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes no one would have survived for three years in the Indian crickt team without a century in international cricket. Gambhir believes Kohli got a long rope despite not scoring a hundred for over 1,000 days but no other batter would have earned that luxury. Kohli, who brought an end to his long-standing century drought on Thursday, had scored his last ton for India in November 2019. He went without scoring a century for a staggering 1020 days between November 2019 to September 2022 before finnaly ending the drought with a stunning 122-run knock against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2022 earlier this week. Kohli's lean patch with the willow saw him face crictisim from all corners in the build up to the Asia Cup with many also questioining his spot in the India's T20I squad. However, he had the continuous backing of the team management despite not delivering consistently. Also Read: Virat Kohli will be five kilos less: Ravi Shastri lauds India batter after his 71st international century "You have to realise that it is three years, not three months. Three years is a very long time. And I'm not trying to be critical of him, but he has earned that just because he has got loads of runs in the past. But I don't think so that any of the younger batters would have survived in international cricket had they not got a hundred in last three years," Gambhir said on Star Sports. The former India opener cited the example of the likes of current skipper Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and R Ashwin among others who have all been droped under Kohli's captaincy in the past for not performing consistently. Gambhir believes only Kohli could have survived without a century for three years as he has earned that cushion with his past performances. "Eventually it had to happen and it happened at the right time as well. You are just approaching the T20 World Cup and he's got a hundred so he has got the monkey off his back. But let's be fair and absolutely honest, I don't think any one in the dressing room would have survived three years without a hundred," said Gambhir. People like Ashwin, Rahane, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have been dropped. I don't know one guy who hasn't been dropped after not having scored a hundred in three years. It is only Virat Kohli and probably he has earned that," he added. Also Read: This is crunch time for Rahul Dravid: Ex-BCCI selector after India's disappointing exit from Asia Cup 2022 Kohli brought an end to a long wait for his 71st hundred in style with a magnificent knock against Afghanistan. He scored 122 off 61 balls laced with 12 fours and two sixes. It was Kohli's maiden ton in T20Is as he registered the highest score by an Indian batter in the shortest format to power India to a 101-run victory in the game.

Others wouldn't have survived: Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli being in Indian team for 3 years without a ton

Virat Kohli ended his international drought on Thursday (September 8) as India faced Afghanistan in their last Super Four clash before bowing out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition. Bing asked to bat first, a Rohit Sharma-less Indian team rode on Kohli's 122 not out (off 61 balls), who opened the innings with stand-in captain KL Rahul, to post a mammoth 212-3.

In reply, Afghanistan fell like nine pins in the run-chase by being restricted to 111/8 in 20 overs to lose by a whopping 101-run margin. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with 5 for 4 in his full quota of overs to stand tall but the Player-of-the-Match Kohli generated maximum eyeballs. Kohli's innings was laced with 12 fours and 6 sixes and his return to form is a huge blessing for Rohit &amp; Co. heading into the 2022 T20 World Cup, from October-November in Australia. The 33-year-old Kohli's hundred is a huge sigh of relief for many Indian cricket fans, worldwide, who have been eagerly waiting for King Kohli to move past his ordinary run of form.

As soon as Kohli smacked an impressive pull over the fence to reach triple figures, the crowd -- at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai -- were sent into a frenzy. An elderly fan's unmissable reaction, present in the stands, went viral in no time as Kohli raised his bat and acknowledged the crowd after reaching his 71st international ton. Here's the video of the elderly fan bowing down to the Indian star batter:

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Missed this <a href="https://t.co/LHjQhhQQSm">pic.twitter.com/LHjQhhQQSm</a>
— Ali (@stuckon70) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuckon70/status/1567899011109060608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/your-form-is-very-critical-rohit-sharma-tells-virat-kohli-as-duo-interact-post-latters-71st-intl-ton-514536">'Your form is very critical' - Rohit Sharma tells Virat Kohli as duo interact post latter's 71st int'l ton</a>

With his recent ton over Afghanistan, Kohli equalled with Australia's former captain Ricky Ponting in terms of second-most international tons overall. Here's the top five in the elite feat:

Sachin Tendulkar - 100

Virat Kohli - 71*

Ricky Ponting - 71

Kumar Sangakkara - 63

Jacques Kallis - 62

At the post-match presentation, a content Kohli said, "Firstly I am grateful for how the day went today. Time away from the game gave me a good chance to sit back and observe a lot of things about me. I mentioned one special person - Anushka - who stood by me through these tough times and I mentioned her as she has seen the absolute raw side of me throughout all these months. She was the one putting things in perspective for me, kept giving me the right kind of guidance, vision moving forward and I came back into the system as a relaxed person. It was just about enjoying the game, understanding the game and what God blessed you with. Today was the build-up of the last few games, I batted out of my skin to be honest and I surprised myself. What surprised me was my 60s became failures; quite shocking for me, batting pretty well and contributing but doesn't seem to be enough. I can't really pinpoint anything to anyone as I said God has blessed me with good things in the past and that's why I am in this position where these things can be spoken about."

Virat Kohli ended his international drought on Thursday (September 8) as India faced Afghanistan in their last Super Four clash before bowing out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition.

Virat Kohli ended his international drought on Thursday (September 8) as India faced Afghanistan in their last Super Four clash before bowing out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition. Bing asked to bat first, a Rohit Sharma-less Indian team rode on Kohli's 122 not out (off 61 balls), who opened the innings with stand-in captain KL Rahul, to post a mammoth 212-3. In reply, Afghanistan fell like nine pins in the run-chase by being restricted to 111/8 in 20 overs to lose by a whopping 101-run margin. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with 5 for 4 in his full quota of overs to stand tall but the Player-of-the-Match Kohli generated maximum eyeballs. Kohli's innings was laced with 12 fours and 6 sixes and his return to form is a huge blessing for Rohit & Co. heading into the 2022 T20 World Cup, from October-November in Australia. The 33-year-old Kohli's hundred is a huge sigh of relief for many Indian cricket fans, worldwide, who have been eagerly waiting for King Kohli to move past his ordinary run of form. As soon as Kohli smacked an impressive pull over the fence to reach triple figures, the crowd -- at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai -- were sent into a frenzy. An elderly fan's unmissable reaction, present in the stands, went viral in no time as Kohli raised his bat and acknowledged the crowd after reaching his 71st international ton. Here's the video of the elderly fan bowing down to the Indian star batter: Missed this pic.twitter.com/LHjQhhQQSm — Ali (@stuckon70) September 8, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Your form is very critical' - Rohit Sharma tells Virat Kohli as duo interact post latter's 71st int'l ton With his recent ton over Afghanistan, Kohli equalled with Australia's former captain Ricky Ponting in terms of second-most international tons overall. Here's the top five in the elite feat: Sachin Tendulkar - 100 Virat Kohli - 71* Ricky Ponting - 71 Kumar Sangakkara - 63 Jacques Kallis - 62 At the post-match presentation, a content Kohli said, "Firstly I am grateful for how the day went today. Time away from the game gave me a good chance to sit back and observe a lot of things about me. I mentioned one special person - Anushka - who stood by me through these tough times and I mentioned her as she has seen the absolute raw side of me throughout all these months. She was the one putting things in perspective for me, kept giving me the right kind of guidance, vision moving forward and I came back into the system as a relaxed person. It was just about enjoying the game, understanding the game and what God blessed you with. Today was the build-up of the last few games, I batted out of my skin to be honest and I surprised myself. What surprised me was my 60s became failures; quite shocking for me, batting pretty well and contributing but doesn't seem to be enough. I can't really pinpoint anything to anyone as I said God has blessed me with good things in the past and that's why I am in this position where these things can be spoken about."

VIRAL: Elderly fan bows down to Virat Kohli as he slams 71st int'l ton in India-Afghanistan tie - WATCH

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday (September 8). At the age of 96, The Queen breathed her last with her health worsening in the recent past. She had already cut down on her public appearances to a great extent and is now survived by four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. The Queen -- UK's longest-serving monarch -- has left a huge legacy that will last forever.&nbsp;

The Queen was a sports fanatic and loved horse racing but also took a keen interest in various other sports. Ahead of the 2019 ODI World Cup, held in England and Wales, all the participating teams' captains met The Queen and&nbsp;Prince Harry at Buckingham Palace in London. The images of the star-studded meeting went viral in no time and were shared on social media platforms.&nbsp;

Here's a throwback to the pictures where The Queen met Virat Kohli and the likes:

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The 10 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> Captains with the Queen. <a href="https://t.co/cT42NfuPCv">pic.twitter.com/cT42NfuPCv</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1133783155574550529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Skipper meets the Queen <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ch2jcv5mTj">pic.twitter.com/Ch2jcv5mTj</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1133782516731699205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The tournament will feature the world’s top ten teams, nine of whom are from the Commonwealth: Australia 🇦🇺, Bangladesh 🇧🇩, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, India 🇮🇳, New Zealand🇳🇿, Pakistan🇵🇰, South Africa 🇿🇦, Sri Lanka🇱🇰 and the West Indies 🇧🇸 🇧🇧 🇨🇺 🇯🇲 🇭🇹 🇩🇲 🇵🇷 🇬🇾 🇸🇷 🇹🇹. <a href="https://t.co/zVVAxlkvtv">pic.twitter.com/zVVAxlkvtv</a>
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1133764146657398784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Captains including <a href="https://twitter.com/Eoin16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eoin16</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> met Her Majesty and His Royal Highness before joining a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. <a href="https://t.co/AjS5eZBrVH">pic.twitter.com/AjS5eZBrVH</a>
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1133764856178446336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-legacy-will-last-forever-sports-fraternity-pays-tribute-to-queen-elizabeth-ii-after-her-passing-away-514433">'This legacy will last forever' - Sports fraternity pays tributes to Queen Elizabeth II after her passing away</a>

Many sporting activities have been shut post the passing away of The Queen. The weekend fixtures of the Premier League now stand postponed whereas&nbsp;matches in the domestic Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy were called off. As a mark of respect, a minute's silence was also observed during the UEFA Europa League fixtures between Arsenal-FC Zurich and Manchester United-Real Sociedad.

Following Queen Elizabeth's demise, a statement from King Charles III read, "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held,” it added.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday (September 8). At the age of 96, The Queen breathed her last with her health worsening in the recent past. She had already cut down on her public appearances to a great extent and is now survived by four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday (September 8). At the age of 96, The Queen breathed her last with her health worsening in the recent past. She had already cut down on her public appearances to a great extent and is now survived by four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. The Queen -- UK's longest-serving monarch -- has left a huge legacy that will last forever. The Queen was a sports fanatic and loved horse racing but also took a keen interest in various other sports. Ahead of the 2019 ODI World Cup, held in England and Wales, all the participating teams' captains met The Queen and Prince Harry at Buckingham Palace in London. The images of the star-studded meeting went viral in no time and were shared on social media platforms. Here's a throwback to the pictures where The Queen met Virat Kohli and the likes: The 10 #CWC19 Captains with the Queen. pic.twitter.com/cT42NfuPCv — BCCI (@BCCI) May 29, 2019 × Skipper meets the Queen #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/Ch2jcv5mTj — BCCI (@BCCI) May 29, 2019 × The tournament will feature the world’s top ten teams, nine of whom are from the Commonwealth: Australia 🇦🇺, Bangladesh 🇧🇩, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, India 🇮🇳, New Zealand🇳🇿, Pakistan🇵🇰, South Africa 🇿🇦, Sri Lanka🇱🇰 and the West Indies 🇧🇸 🇧🇧 🇨🇺 🇯🇲 🇭🇹 🇩🇲 🇵🇷 🇬🇾 🇸🇷 🇹🇹. pic.twitter.com/zVVAxlkvtv — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 29, 2019 × Captains including @Eoin16 and @imVkohli met Her Majesty and His Royal Highness before joining a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. pic.twitter.com/AjS5eZBrVH — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 29, 2019 × ALSO READ | 'This legacy will last forever' - Sports fraternity pays tributes to Queen Elizabeth II after her passing away Many sporting activities have been shut post the passing away of The Queen. The weekend fixtures of the Premier League now stand postponed whereas matches in the domestic Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy were called off. As a mark of respect, a minute's silence was also observed during the UEFA Europa League fixtures between Arsenal-FC Zurich and Manchester United-Real Sociedad. Following Queen Elizabeth's demise, a statement from King Charles III read, "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.” “During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held,” it added.

Throwback: When Queen Elizabeth II met Virat Kohli and other captains ahead of 2019 ODI World Cup

India ended their Asia Cup 2022 campaign with a big win over Afghanistan on Thursday evening (September 8). The biggest takeaway from India's consolation win was Virat Kohli's much-awaited 71st international century as the former skipper slammed a mouth-watering 61-ball 122 not out, laced with 12 fours and 6 sixes at a whopping strike-rate of 200.

Kohli hadn't scored a century across formats since late 2019. Since then, he contributed with a lot of crucial knocks but failed to get to the triple-figure mark. Against Afghanistan, India's star batter Virat went all-out, after settling in, as he opened the innings with stand-in captain KL Rahul in Rohit Sharma's absence. With his ton, the whole of India breathed a sigh of relief despite the national side's forgettable Asia Cup campaign. Rohit &amp; Co. will now hope for Kohli to continue in a similar stead and go bonkers in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, from October-November in Australia.

After mauling Afghanistan, Indian captain Rohit and Virat got together for a special interaction, on BCCI tv, where Hitman told his predecessor that his 'form is very critical to Team India'.&nbsp;

When Rohit asked about his brilliant ton, Kohli said,&nbsp;&nbsp;"I did not expect this. Even you mentioned after the match that nobody would have expected me to score a century, especially in this format. I am pleasantly surprised and I am grateful and honoured right now." Later in the chat, Rohit told, "Your form is very critical to our team. We all understand that. And also, you being around certain guys, does help a lot as well."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-led-team-indias-t20-world-cup-squad-likely-to-be-announced-on-september-16-report-514475">Rohit Sharma-led Team India's T20 World Cup squad likely to be announced on September 16: Report</a>

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What happens when <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> interviews <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> ☺️ 👏 
 
Laughs, mutual admiration &amp; a lot of respect 😎- by <a href="https://twitter.com/ameyatilak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ameyatilak</a> 
 
Full interview 📽️<a href="https://t.co/8bVUaa0pUw">https://t.co/8bVUaa0pUw</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup2022</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAFG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAFG</a> <a href="https://t.co/GkdPr9crLh">pic.twitter.com/GkdPr9crLh</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1568097031281065985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/because-we-lost-few-games-doesnt-mean-were-a-terrible-team-rahul-dravid-defends-under-fire-team-india-514502">'Because we lost few games, doesn't mean we're a terrible team'- Rahul Dravid defends under-fire Team India</a>

Kohli further highlighted the team goal and added, "It was a very special day for us as a team. After the last game, we had spoken about the kind of attitude with which we need to play this match. This was an important tournament for us. We got the exposure of knockout matches, we got the exposure of facing pressure situations. But we know what's our main goal, which is the World Cup in Australia and we all are improving in several areas for the same. We will learn from our mistakes from the matches which didn't go well for us."

India will now shift their focus to hosting Australia and later South Africa, in white-ball series, where they will look to iron out their flaws ahead of the T20 WC Down Under.

India ended their Asia Cup 2022 campaign with a big win over Afghanistan on Thursday evening (September 8). The biggest takeaway from India's consolation win was Virat Kohli's much-awaited 71st international century as the former skipper slammed a mouth-watering 61-ball 122 not out, laced with 12 fours and 6 sixes at a whopping strike-rate of 200.

India ended their Asia Cup 2022 campaign with a big win over Afghanistan on Thursday evening (September 8). The biggest takeaway from India's consolation win was Virat Kohli's much-awaited 71st international century as the former skipper slammed a mouth-watering 61-ball 122 not out, laced with 12 fours and 6 sixes at a whopping strike-rate of 200. Kohli hadn't scored a century across formats since late 2019. Since then, he contributed with a lot of crucial knocks but failed to get to the triple-figure mark. Against Afghanistan, India's star batter Virat went all-out, after settling in, as he opened the innings with stand-in captain KL Rahul in Rohit Sharma's absence. With his ton, the whole of India breathed a sigh of relief despite the national side's forgettable Asia Cup campaign. Rohit & Co. will now hope for Kohli to continue in a similar stead and go bonkers in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, from October-November in Australia. After mauling Afghanistan, Indian captain Rohit and Virat got together for a special interaction, on BCCI tv, where Hitman told his predecessor that his 'form is very critical to Team India'. When Rohit asked about his brilliant ton, Kohli said, "I did not expect this. Even you mentioned after the match that nobody would have expected me to score a century, especially in this format. I am pleasantly surprised and I am grateful and honoured right now." Later in the chat, Rohit told, "Your form is very critical to our team. We all understand that. And also, you being around certain guys, does help a lot as well." ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma-led Team India's T20 World Cup squad likely to be announced on September 16: Report What happens when @ImRo45 interviews @imVkohli ☺️ 👏 Laughs, mutual admiration & a lot of respect 😎- by @ameyatilak Full interview 📽️https://t.co/8bVUaa0pUw #TeamIndia | #AsiaCup2022 | #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/GkdPr9crLh — BCCI (@BCCI) September 9, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Because we lost few games, doesn't mean we're a terrible team'- Rahul Dravid defends under-fire Team India Kohli further highlighted the team goal and added, "It was a very special day for us as a team. After the last game, we had spoken about the kind of attitude with which we need to play this match. This was an important tournament for us. We got the exposure of knockout matches, we got the exposure of facing pressure situations. But we know what's our main goal, which is the World Cup in Australia and we all are improving in several areas for the same. We will learn from our mistakes from the matches which didn't go well for us." India will now shift their focus to hosting Australia and later South Africa, in white-ball series, where they will look to iron out their flaws ahead of the T20 WC Down Under.

'Your form is very critical' - Rohit Sharma tells Virat Kohli as duo interact post latter's 71st int'l ton

After a forgettable run at the Asia Cup, India will look to amend their mistakes ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, in Australia from October-November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad for the showpiece event sooner than later as many cricket boards have already announced their respective squads.&nbsp;

As per a report in the Times of India (TOI), the Indian team's squad for the upcoming ICC event is likely to be announced on September 16. Jasprit Bumrah's fitness is reportedly a reason behind the delay in squad announcement as the premier pacer is in rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru after missing out on the Asia Cup due to a back injury. Moreover, Harshal Patel is also working on his fitness after not being part of the Rohit Sharma-led national side in the Asia Cup where the Men in Blue failed to make it to the final.

Thus, Bumrah's fitness is eagerly awaited by the BCCI before announcing the squad of the one-time winners heading into the T20 WC Down Under. With the marquee tournament just over a month away, the BCCI selectors are still not worried about Bumrah's fitness as he is expected to be deemed fit.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-better-option-than-md-shami-irfan-pathan-on-how-india-can-fix-bowling-woes-ahead-of-t20-world-cup-513817">No better option than Md. Shami: Irfan Pathan on how India can fix bowling woes ahead of T20 World Cup</a>

“Bumrah has not been declared fit yet. He is going to be at the NCA this week before the selection. The World Cup is still over a month away. Therefore, his selection will happen considering that,” a BCCI source told TOI. Given India's ordinary bowling performances in the continental tournament, being held in the UAE, India will be desperate to regain the services of both Bumrah and Harshal. Many are also discussing Mohammed Shami's inclusion despite the senior pacer having not played a single T20I since last year's World Cup in the UAE.&nbsp;

Given Shami's experience, good run in IPL 2022 and the the current Indian bowling line-up lagging behind, the 32-year-old might be roped in. After bowing out of the Asia Cup, India will host Australia followed by South Africa in T20I series before boarding the flight to Australia. It will be interesting to see what all changes the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management makes for the mega event.

India had failed to go past the Super 12 round in last year's T20 WC. Will the script change this time around for the Men in Blue? Only time will tell...

After a forgettable run at the Asia Cup, India will look to amend their mistakes ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, in Australia from October-November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad for the showpiece event sooner than later as many cricket boards have already announced their respective squads.

After a forgettable run at the Asia Cup, India will look to amend their mistakes ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, in Australia from October-November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad for the showpiece event sooner than later as many cricket boards have already announced their respective squads. As per a report in the Times of India (TOI), the Indian team's squad for the upcoming ICC event is likely to be announced on September 16. Jasprit Bumrah's fitness is reportedly a reason behind the delay in squad announcement as the premier pacer is in rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru after missing out on the Asia Cup due to a back injury. Moreover, Harshal Patel is also working on his fitness after not being part of the Rohit Sharma-led national side in the Asia Cup where the Men in Blue failed to make it to the final. Thus, Bumrah's fitness is eagerly awaited by the BCCI before announcing the squad of the one-time winners heading into the T20 WC Down Under. With the marquee tournament just over a month away, the BCCI selectors are still not worried about Bumrah's fitness as he is expected to be deemed fit. ALSO READ | No better option than Md. Shami: Irfan Pathan on how India can fix bowling woes ahead of T20 World Cup “Bumrah has not been declared fit yet. He is going to be at the NCA this week before the selection. The World Cup is still over a month away. Therefore, his selection will happen considering that,” a BCCI source told TOI. Given India's ordinary bowling performances in the continental tournament, being held in the UAE, India will be desperate to regain the services of both Bumrah and Harshal. Many are also discussing Mohammed Shami's inclusion despite the senior pacer having not played a single T20I since last year's World Cup in the UAE. Given Shami's experience, good run in IPL 2022 and the the current Indian bowling line-up lagging behind, the 32-year-old might be roped in. After bowing out of the Asia Cup, India will host Australia followed by South Africa in T20I series before boarding the flight to Australia. It will be interesting to see what all changes the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management makes for the mega event. India had failed to go past the Super 12 round in last year's T20 WC. Will the script change this time around for the Men in Blue? Only time will tell...

Rohit Sharma-led Team India's T20 World Cup squad likely to be announced on September 16: Report

After hitting his much anticipated 71st century in international cricket, star Indian batter Virat Kohli dedicated his ton to his wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma and their daughter.

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and powered India to a massive 212/2 in their 20 overs during their last Super Four clash against Afghanistan at the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday.

"Last two and a half years have taught me a lot. I am going to turn 34 in a month. So those angry celebrations are a thing of the past. Actually, I was shocked. This is the last format I thought.

"It was an accumulation of a lot of things. The team has been open and helpful. I know there was a lot of stuff going outside," said Virat after his innings to broadcasters."And I kissed my ring. You see me standing here because one person has put things in perspective for me. That`s Anushka. This hundred is for her and for our little daughter Vamika as well.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2022-virat-kohli-becomes-only-second-indian-player-to-smash-100-t20i-sixes-514227" hreflang="en">Asia Cup 2022: Virat Kohli becomes only second Indian player to smash 100 T20I sixes</a>

"When you have someone next to you having conversations putting things in perspective, like Anushka has been... when I came back I was not desperate. Six weeks off I was refreshed. I realised how tired I was. Competitiveness doesn`t allow it, but this break allowed me enjoy the game again," he added.

Put to bat first by Afghanistan, openers KL Rahul and Virat Kohli got Team India off to a great start. The running between the wickets by the duo was good as usual. Openers really started to open their arms in the third over, with Virat smashing pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi for two fours.

From that point on, KL and Virat feasted on Afghan bowlers. Virat Kohli looked in really good touch and hit spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman for two fours and a six in the sixth over. At the end of six overs and the powerplay, India stood at 52/0, with Virat (25*) and Rahul (26*) unbeaten.

Virat and KL continued their domination over Afghanistan, even after the powerplay. The duo kept the scoreboard running at a good speed. At the end of 10 overs, India stood at 87/0, with Rahul (42*) and Virat (44*). Virat brought up his 33rd half-century in the format with a single.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2022-massive-fire-breaks-out-outside-the-dubai-international-stadium-ahead-of-india-vs-afghanistan-514179" hreflang="en">Asia Cup 2022: Massive fire breaks out outside the Dubai International Stadium ahead of India vs Afghanistan</a>

KL Rahul helped the team cross the 100-run mark with a four in 11.2 overs and scored another four on the next ball to bring up his fifty. Medium-pacer Fareed Malik ended the 119-run stand between the duo in the 13th over, dismissing Rahul for 62 off 41 balls after the batter was caught by Najibullah Zadran at long-on.

Suryakumar Yadav was next and he started his innings with a six on the very first ball, but Fareed got his wicket on the very next ball. Rishabh Pant was up on the crease. He continued to tick the scoreboard with Virat and took India into the final five without further damage. At the end of 15 overs, India was at 134/2, with Pant (6*) and Virat (59*).

Pant and Virat continued their assault on Afghanistan bowlers. Virat was the aggressor and mercilessly hit boundaries. With two overs to go, Pant-Virat brought up their 50-run stand. Virat also entered into the 90s. Finally, he completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and his first in T20Is.

India finished its innings at 212/2, with Virat Kohli (122*) and Rishabh Pant (20*). Fareed Malik took 2/57 for Afghanistan.

After hitting his much anticipated 71st century in international cricket, star Indian batter Virat Kohli dedicated his ton to his wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma and their daughter.

After hitting his much anticipated 71st century in international cricket, star Indian batter Virat Kohli dedicated his ton to his wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma and their daughter. Star Indian batter Virat Kohli completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and powered India to a massive 212/2 in their 20 overs during their last Super Four clash against Afghanistan at the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday. "Last two and a half years have taught me a lot. I am going to turn 34 in a month. So those angry celebrations are a thing of the past. Actually, I was shocked. This is the last format I thought. "It was an accumulation of a lot of things. The team has been open and helpful. I know there was a lot of stuff going outside," said Virat after his innings to broadcasters."And I kissed my ring. You see me standing here because one person has put things in perspective for me. That`s Anushka. This hundred is for her and for our little daughter Vamika as well. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2022: Virat Kohli becomes only second Indian player to smash 100 T20I sixes "When you have someone next to you having conversations putting things in perspective, like Anushka has been... when I came back I was not desperate. Six weeks off I was refreshed. I realised how tired I was. Competitiveness doesn`t allow it, but this break allowed me enjoy the game again," he added. Put to bat first by Afghanistan, openers KL Rahul and Virat Kohli got Team India off to a great start. The running between the wickets by the duo was good as usual. Openers really started to open their arms in the third over, with Virat smashing pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi for two fours. From that point on, KL and Virat feasted on Afghan bowlers. Virat Kohli looked in really good touch and hit spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman for two fours and a six in the sixth over. At the end of six overs and the powerplay, India stood at 52/0, with Virat (25*) and Rahul (26*) unbeaten. Virat and KL continued their domination over Afghanistan, even after the powerplay. The duo kept the scoreboard running at a good speed. At the end of 10 overs, India stood at 87/0, with Rahul (42*) and Virat (44*). Virat brought up his 33rd half-century in the format with a single. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2022: Massive fire breaks out outside the Dubai International Stadium ahead of India vs Afghanistan KL Rahul helped the team cross the 100-run mark with a four in 11.2 overs and scored another four on the next ball to bring up his fifty. Medium-pacer Fareed Malik ended the 119-run stand between the duo in the 13th over, dismissing Rahul for 62 off 41 balls after the batter was caught by Najibullah Zadran at long-on. Suryakumar Yadav was next and he started his innings with a six on the very first ball, but Fareed got his wicket on the very next ball. Rishabh Pant was up on the crease. He continued to tick the scoreboard with Virat and took India into the final five without further damage. At the end of 15 overs, India was at 134/2, with Pant (6*) and Virat (59*). Pant and Virat continued their assault on Afghanistan bowlers. Virat was the aggressor and mercilessly hit boundaries. With two overs to go, Pant-Virat brought up their 50-run stand. Virat also entered into the 90s. Finally, he completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and his first in T20Is. India finished its innings at 212/2, with Virat Kohli (122*) and Rishabh Pant (20*). Fareed Malik took 2/57 for Afghanistan.

Asia Cup 2022: Virat Kohli dedicates maiden T20I ton during IND vs AFG to wife Anushka and daughter Vamika

Virat Kohli on Thursday completed 100 sixes in T20I cricket, becoming the second Indian batter to hit a century of sixes and the tenth overall player to achieve this landmark. Virat accomplished this landmark during India`s final Super Four clash against Afghanistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.

Virat finally completed his much-anticipated 71st century. He smashed an unbeaten 122 in just 61 balls with 12 balls and six sixes. Now, Virat has a total of 104 sixes, which in the ninth-highest in T20I cricket. New Zealand`s Martin Guptill has the highest number of sixes in the format, with a total of 172 sixes.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-virat-kohli-finally-ends-century-drought-with-maiden-t20i-ton-in-afghanistan-clash-514206" hreflang="en">Asia Cup: Virat Kohli finally ends century drought with maiden T20I ton in Afghanistan clash</a>

He is followed by Rohit Sharma (171), Chris Gayle of West Indies (124), England`s Eoin Morgan (120) and Australian opener Aaron Finch (117). Coming to the match, Star Indian batter Virat Kohli completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and powered India to a massive 212/2 in their 20 overs during their last Super Four clash against Afghanistan at the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday.

Put to bat first by Afghanistan, openers KL Rahul and Virat Kohli got Team India off to a great start. The running between the wickets by the duo was good as usual. Openers really started to open their arms in the third over, with Virat smashing pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi for two fours.

From that point on, KL and Virat feasted on Afghan bowlers. Virat Kohli looked in really good touch and hit spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman for two fours and a six in the sixth over. At the end of six overs and the powerplay, India stood at 52/0, with Virat (25*) and Rahul (26*) unbeaten.

Virat and KL continued their domination over Afghanistan, even after the powerplay. The duo kept the scoreboard running at a good speed. At the end of 10 overs, India stood at 87/0, with Rahul (42*) and Virat (44*). Virat brought up his 33rd half-century in the format with a single.

KL Rahul helped the team cross the 100-run mark with a four in 11.2 overs and scored another four on the next ball to bring up his fifty. Medium-pacer Fareed Malik ended the 119-run stand between the duo in the 13th over, dismissing Rahul for 62 off 41 balls after the batter was caught by Najibullah Zadran at long-on.

Suryakumar Yadav was next and he started his innings with a six on the very first ball, but Fareed got his wicket on the very next ball. Rishabh Pant was up on the crease. He continued to tick the scoreboard with Virat and took India into the final five without further damage. At the end of 15 overs, India was at 134/2, with Pant (6*) and Virat (59*).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2022-massive-fire-breaks-out-outside-the-dubai-international-stadium-ahead-of-india-vs-afghanistan-514179" hreflang="en">Asia Cup 2022: Massive fire breaks out outside the Dubai International Stadium ahead of India vs Afghanistan</a>

Pant and Virat continued their assault on Afghanistan bowlers. Virat was the aggressor and mercilessly hit boundaries. With two overs to go, Pant-Virat brought up their 50-run stand. Virat also entered into the 90s.

Finally, he completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and his first in T20Is. India finished its innings at 212/2, with Virat Kohli (122*) and Rishabh Pant (20*). Fareed Malik took 2/57 for Afghanistan.

Virat Kohli on Thursday completed 100 sixes in T20I cricket, becoming the second Indian batter to hit a century of sixes and the tenth overall player to achieve this landmark.

Virat Kohli on Thursday completed 100 sixes in T20I cricket, becoming the second Indian batter to hit a century of sixes and the tenth overall player to achieve this landmark. Virat accomplished this landmark during India`s final Super Four clash against Afghanistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022. Virat finally completed his much-anticipated 71st century. He smashed an unbeaten 122 in just 61 balls with 12 balls and six sixes. Now, Virat has a total of 104 sixes, which in the ninth-highest in T20I cricket. New Zealand`s Martin Guptill has the highest number of sixes in the format, with a total of 172 sixes. ALSO READ: Asia Cup: Virat Kohli finally ends century drought with maiden T20I ton in Afghanistan clash He is followed by Rohit Sharma (171), Chris Gayle of West Indies (124), England`s Eoin Morgan (120) and Australian opener Aaron Finch (117). Coming to the match, Star Indian batter Virat Kohli completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and powered India to a massive 212/2 in their 20 overs during their last Super Four clash against Afghanistan at the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday. Put to bat first by Afghanistan, openers KL Rahul and Virat Kohli got Team India off to a great start. The running between the wickets by the duo was good as usual. Openers really started to open their arms in the third over, with Virat smashing pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi for two fours. From that point on, KL and Virat feasted on Afghan bowlers. Virat Kohli looked in really good touch and hit spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman for two fours and a six in the sixth over. At the end of six overs and the powerplay, India stood at 52/0, with Virat (25*) and Rahul (26*) unbeaten. Virat and KL continued their domination over Afghanistan, even after the powerplay. The duo kept the scoreboard running at a good speed. At the end of 10 overs, India stood at 87/0, with Rahul (42*) and Virat (44*). Virat brought up his 33rd half-century in the format with a single. KL Rahul helped the team cross the 100-run mark with a four in 11.2 overs and scored another four on the next ball to bring up his fifty. Medium-pacer Fareed Malik ended the 119-run stand between the duo in the 13th over, dismissing Rahul for 62 off 41 balls after the batter was caught by Najibullah Zadran at long-on. Suryakumar Yadav was next and he started his innings with a six on the very first ball, but Fareed got his wicket on the very next ball. Rishabh Pant was up on the crease. He continued to tick the scoreboard with Virat and took India into the final five without further damage. At the end of 15 overs, India was at 134/2, with Pant (6*) and Virat (59*). ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2022: Massive fire breaks out outside the Dubai International Stadium ahead of India vs Afghanistan Pant and Virat continued their assault on Afghanistan bowlers. Virat was the aggressor and mercilessly hit boundaries. With two overs to go, Pant-Virat brought up their 50-run stand. Virat also entered into the 90s. Finally, he completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and his first in T20Is. India finished its innings at 212/2, with Virat Kohli (122*) and Rishabh Pant (20*). Fareed Malik took 2/57 for Afghanistan.

Asia Cup 2022: Virat Kohli becomes only second Indian player to smash 100 T20I sixes

Former India skipper Virat Kohli showed signs of having returned to his former self after he put up&nbsp;a highly anticipated century on the board in merely&nbsp;53 balls against Afghanistan towards the tail end of India's innings against them in the Super Fours of the Asia Cup.&nbsp;

With a series of back-to-back boundaries, Kohli stormed to a total of 122* runs off 61 balls. In addition to being his first century in international cricket since&nbsp;November 2019, his latest haul of runs also marked his maiden ton in the shortest format of the game.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Virat Kohli an international century after 
1020 days 
2 years, 9 months, 16 days 
33 months, 16 days 
145 weeks and 5 days<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCupT20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCupT20</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvAfg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvAfg</a>
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) <a href="https://twitter.com/mohanstatsman/status/1567896824475979776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2022-massive-fire-breaks-out-outside-the-dubai-international-stadium-ahead-of-india-vs-afghanistan-514179" hreflang="en">Asia Cup 2022: Massive fire breaks out outside the Dubai International Stadium ahead of India vs Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;

With his jaw-dropping century at the Dubai International Stadium, Kohli bolstered India's charge against the Afghanis setting up a target of a whopping 213 for them to chase. Kohli had increasingly shown signs of his former glory since the start of India's Asia Cup campaign, scoring an impressive 59* against Hong Kong and 60 against Pakistan.&nbsp;

Up until the start of the Asia Cup, Kohli had found himself at the receiving end of a significant amount of flak, having gone over 1000 days without scoring an international century across formats. However, with his latest haul of runs, Kohli managed to shut his detractors down for good.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/visuals-were-gruesome-pcb-chairman-to-write-to-icc-to-complain-about-row-during-pakistan-vs-afghanistan-514134" hreflang="en">'Visuals were gruesome'- PCB chairman to write to ICC to complain about row during Pakistan vs Afghanistan</a>

The century could not have come at a better time as the Men in Blue inch closer to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Having tumbled out of contention for the Asia Cup title, Kohli's renewed vigour and resurgent form will work to reinforce the fans' faith in the team's prospects in the forthcoming World Cup.&nbsp;

Furthermore, it will most certainly have done wonders for Kohli's confidence and morale as he had been ruled out of active competition for a matter of months, citing mental health issues until before the start of the Asia Cup.

Former India skipper Virat Kohli showed signs of having returned to his former self after he put up a highly anticipated century on the board in merely 53 balls against Afghanistan towards the tail end of India's innings against them in the Super Fours of the Asia Cup.

Former India skipper Virat Kohli showed signs of having returned to his former self after he put up a highly anticipated century on the board in merely 53 balls against Afghanistan towards the tail end of India's innings against them in the Super Fours of the Asia Cup. With a series of back-to-back boundaries, Kohli stormed to a total of 122* runs off 61 balls. In addition to being his first century in international cricket since November 2019, his latest haul of runs also marked his maiden ton in the shortest format of the game. Virat Kohli an international century after 1020 days 2 years, 9 months, 16 days 33 months, 16 days 145 weeks and 5 days#AsiaCup2022 #AsiaCupT20 #AsiaCup2022 #IndvAfg — Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 8, 2022 × ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2022: Massive fire breaks out outside the Dubai International Stadium ahead of India vs Afghanistan With his jaw-dropping century at the Dubai International Stadium, Kohli bolstered India's charge against the Afghanis setting up a target of a whopping 213 for them to chase. Kohli had increasingly shown signs of his former glory since the start of India's Asia Cup campaign, scoring an impressive 59* against Hong Kong and 60 against Pakistan. Up until the start of the Asia Cup, Kohli had found himself at the receiving end of a significant amount of flak, having gone over 1000 days without scoring an international century across formats. However, with his latest haul of runs, Kohli managed to shut his detractors down for good. ALSO READ: 'Visuals were gruesome'- PCB chairman to write to ICC to complain about row during Pakistan vs Afghanistan The century could not have come at a better time as the Men in Blue inch closer to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Having tumbled out of contention for the Asia Cup title, Kohli's renewed vigour and resurgent form will work to reinforce the fans' faith in the team's prospects in the forthcoming World Cup. Furthermore, it will most certainly have done wonders for Kohli's confidence and morale as he had been ruled out of active competition for a matter of months, citing mental health issues until before the start of the Asia Cup.

Asia Cup: Virat Kohli finally ends century drought with maiden T20I ton in Afghanistan clash

Naseem Shah's twin sixes in the last over of the Pakistan-Afghanistan clash led to Babar Azam &amp; Co.'s stunning one-wicket win in the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Wednesday evening (September 7) in Sharjah.&nbsp;

With this result, Pakistan secured a spot in the final where they will play Sri Lanka on September 11. On the other hand, Naseem's strikes eliminated both Afghanistan and India from the competition. Now, the two eliminated sides -- who topped their respective groups -- will lock horns in an inconsequential tie at the iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday evening (September 8).

Both India and Afghanistan have some glaring issues to address and they will be desperate to go past one another to sign off their forgettable Asia Cup campaign with a win.&nbsp;

Here is all you need to know about the India-Afghanistan&nbsp;Super 4 clash in Asia Cup 2022:

When will India face Afghanistan&nbsp;in Asia Cup 2022?

India will take on Afghanistan&nbsp;in their third and final Super Four clash at the Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday (September 08).

At what time will the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan&nbsp;get underway?

The India-Afghanistan&nbsp;tie in Asia Cup 2022 will commence&nbsp;at 7:30 PM IST.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-this-is-a-question-out-of-my-book-ravindra-jadeja-on-rishabh-pants-absence-from-pakistan-clash-511703">WATCH: 'This is a question out of my book' - Ravindra Jadeja on Rishabh Pant's absence from Pakistan clash</a>

How to watch the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan?

Star Sports will broadcast the&nbsp;clash in India and the live streaming will be available on the Hotstar app and website.

Naseem Shah's twin sixes in the last over of the Pakistan-Afghanistan clash led to Babar Azam & Co.'s stunning one-wicket win in the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Wednesday evening (September 7) in Sharjah.

Naseem Shah's twin sixes in the last over of the Pakistan-Afghanistan clash led to Babar Azam & Co.'s stunning one-wicket win in the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Wednesday evening (September 7) in Sharjah. With this result, Pakistan secured a spot in the final where they will play Sri Lanka on September 11. On the other hand, Naseem's strikes eliminated both Afghanistan and India from the competition. Now, the two eliminated sides -- who topped their respective groups -- will lock horns in an inconsequential tie at the iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday evening (September 8). Both India and Afghanistan have some glaring issues to address and they will be desperate to go past one another to sign off their forgettable Asia Cup campaign with a win. Here is all you need to know about the India-Afghanistan Super 4 clash in Asia Cup 2022: When will India face Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022? India will take on Afghanistan in their third and final Super Four clash at the Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday (September 08). At what time will the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan get underway? The India-Afghanistan tie in Asia Cup 2022 will commence at 7:30 PM IST. ALSO READ | WATCH: 'This is a question out of my book' - Ravindra Jadeja on Rishabh Pant's absence from Pakistan clash How to watch the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan? Star Sports will broadcast the clash in India and the live streaming will be available on the Hotstar app and website.

Asia Cup 2022, IND vs Afg live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Afghanistan Super 4 match?

Can India still qualify for Asia Cup 2022 final? Here are all scenarios explained

Rohit Sharma-led India went down to Sri Lanka by six wickets in defence of 173/8 in the Super Four clash at the Asia Cup 2022 edition, on Tuesday (September 06) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. After losing to Pakistan, India were in a must-win position versus Sri Lanka but the Dasun Shanaka-led side punched above their weight to push India closer to elimination.

Being asked to bat first, India rode on Rohit's 72 and Suryakumar Yadav's 34 to post a competitive score. However, they fell short of posting anything near 200 given the platform set by Hitman. In reply, Pathum Nissanka-Kusal Mendis' fifties and finishing cameos from Shanaka-Bhanuka Rajapaksa propelled the Islanders to a stunning six-wicket win on the penultimate ball.

With the Men in Blue almost on the verge of an early exit, T20 World Cup winner Robin Uthappa opined on the national side's struggles at the continental tournament. "India are trying too many things, trying to fix something that is not broken. They have overthought this. Be as aggressive as you want, but if you do not have wickets at the back end, you are always going to be under the pump," Uthappa said on&nbsp;ESPNCricinfo.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-rishabh-pants-reaction-to-hardik-pandyas-batting-promotion-in-asia-cup-tie-goes-viral-watch-513695">Ind vs SL: Rishabh Pant's reaction to Hardik Pandya's batting promotion in Asia Cup tie goes viral - WATCH</a>

At the post-match presentation, Rohit said, "We just ended up on the wrong side, as simple as that. We could have capitalized on the first half of our innings. We fell 10-15 runs short. The second half wasn't good for us. The guys who were out in the middle can learn about what shots can be played. These things can happen. Losses like these will make us understand what works as a team."

He added, "Since the last World Cup, we haven't lost too many games. These games will teach us. We wanted to put ourselves under pressure in the Asia Cup. We are still looking for answers."

Rohit Sharma-led India went down to Sri Lanka by six wickets in defence of 173/8 in the Super Four clash at the Asia Cup 2022 edition, on Tuesday (September 06) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.

Rohit Sharma-led India went down to Sri Lanka by six wickets in defence of 173/8 in the Super Four clash at the Asia Cup 2022 edition, on Tuesday (September 06) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. After losing to Pakistan, India were in a must-win position versus Sri Lanka but the Dasun Shanaka-led side punched above their weight to push India closer to elimination. Being asked to bat first, India rode on Rohit's 72 and Suryakumar Yadav's 34 to post a competitive score. However, they fell short of posting anything near 200 given the platform set by Hitman. In reply, Pathum Nissanka-Kusal Mendis' fifties and finishing cameos from Shanaka-Bhanuka Rajapaksa propelled the Islanders to a stunning six-wicket win on the penultimate ball. With the Men in Blue almost on the verge of an early exit, T20 World Cup winner Robin Uthappa opined on the national side's struggles at the continental tournament. "India are trying too many things, trying to fix something that is not broken. They have overthought this. Be as aggressive as you want, but if you do not have wickets at the back end, you are always going to be under the pump," Uthappa said on ESPNCricinfo. ALSO READ | Ind vs SL: Rishabh Pant's reaction to Hardik Pandya's batting promotion in Asia Cup tie goes viral - WATCH At the post-match presentation, Rohit said, "We just ended up on the wrong side, as simple as that. We could have capitalized on the first half of our innings. We fell 10-15 runs short. The second half wasn't good for us. The guys who were out in the middle can learn about what shots can be played. These things can happen. Losses like these will make us understand what works as a team." He added, "Since the last World Cup, we haven't lost too many games. These games will teach us. We wanted to put ourselves under pressure in the Asia Cup. We are still looking for answers."

'Trying to fix something that is not broken' - India's T20 WC winner on Rohit & Co.'s Asia Cup struggles

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