Things have not gone as planned for Virat Kohli as the opener in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The tricky surface of Nassau County didn't allow Kohli to replicate his IPL 2024 numbers in the mega ICC event. He started off with a 1 against Ireland and followed it up with back-to-back single-digit scores - 4 and a duck. In his new role as opener, Kohli threw his wickets away in Group A in the quest to break the shackles in the powerplay.

Despite his failures in the group stage, there are no doubts about his place in the playing XI, such is the stature of Kohli, as when things get tough, he is the one you will lean on for a rescue mission.

The batting maestro also gets backing from former all-rounder Irfan Pathan who feels that Kohli will step up in the big matches in the next round of T20 World Cup.

"He knows how to stand up in big matches, isn't it? That's what makes him really, really special. He's a special player and I'm sure he's going to put his hand up and say OK, I'm going to do this for Team India and when the time comes, especially the big matches, we always have seen from Virat Kohli that he performs," Pathan said on Star Sports.

Kohli was in incredible form ahead of the T20 World Cup and won the Orange Cap in IPL 2024 by scoring 741 runs. The star batter re-invented his T20 game and played an aggressive brand of cricket by adding shots like slog sweeps to his arsenal. However, the batting maestro has failed to replicate the same numbers in the group stage of T20 WC and finds himself in a bit of a lean patch.

Pathan also suggested that the New York pitch pulled Kohli down as it didn't allow him to play his shots freely, but that won't be the case on Caribbean soil.

"Just wait and watch, the slog sweep will come out now. He will definitely use those shots because, look, those conditions in New York. But now things will be different and you'll see a real Virat Kohli coming to the fore."

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