England vs India: if Virat Kohli is available, he will play, says Ishant Sharma ahead of 2nd T20I
India Today
ENG vs IND, 2nd T20I: Virat Kohli didn't play the first match of the series at Rose Bowl in Southampton, but is available for the last two games.
Veteran fast bowler Ishant Sharma reckoned that Virat Kohli is a sure-shot selection in the Indian team if the latter is available for the second T20I against England to take place on Saturday, July 9 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Kohli didn’t play the first game at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, where India won by 50 runs after bowling the Three Lions out for 148 while defending 198. Sharma said that Deepak Hooda, who recently became the fourth Indian score a T20I century, is most likely to make way for Kohli.
"I think it will be hard on Deepak Hooda, because Virat Kohli will come in at No.3. It is something that no matter how much you try to tell yourself, the truth is that if Kohli is available, he will play," Sharma was quoted as saying on Jatin Sapru's YouTube channel.
Moreover, Ishant mentioned that Ravindra Jadeja should get a chance in place of Axar Patel, who played a handy cameo, but leaked runs. Sharma was of the opinion that Jadeja has the ability to play his shots and score runs quickly in the death overs.
"Ravindra Jadeja should come in for Axar Patel, he can hit the ball just like Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik," he stated.
Moreover, Ishant also backed Suryakumar Yadav to play the remaining two T20I matches in the series. "I think Suryakumar Yadav will play both of the remaining matches at No 4, ahead of Shreyas Iyer. They might rotate the five incoming players because these are back-to-back matches," Ishant added.
India, captained by Rohit Sharma, are currently leading the three-match series 1-0.
