England are favourites for T20 World Cup and that will not change: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli believes England are the “team to beat” at this year’s T20 World Cup as he rejected suggestions from Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler that India are firm favourites to prevail on home soil.

India captain Virat Kohli believes Eoin Morgan-led England, who won the ICC 50-overs World Cup two years ago, are the favourites to win the T20I World Cup this year. India will square off against England in the first of a five-match T20I series in Ahmedabad on Friday, which assumes more importance coming in a World Cup year. "I think it's England who will be the team to beat," Virat Kohli told a news conference ahead of 1st T20I against England. "They are the number one side in the world and the prime focus will be on them in this World Cup. All the other teams will be wary of the strengths that they bring onto the park and every other team would agree with what I say. It's England who are the favourites and that will not change regardless of how they think," Kohli added.