'His role is vital': Gautam Gambhir names player who will be the key during ODI WC 2023

Indian cricket stalwart Gautam Gambhir claimed that Virat Kohli’s role in the Indian team would be very important heading into the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. The 50-over World Cup is scheduled to be held in India later this year. Meanwhile, speaking on Star Sports, the host broadcaster of India vs Sri Lanka, ODI series, Gambir said, “50 over format is the only format where you need an anchor. You really don’t need someone to anchor the innings in T20 cricket”. 

“And Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s experience will be very very important. If you have all these impact players and you pick them like Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, let’s not forget that they will be playing their first World Cup and that’s why Virat and Rohit’s experience will be very very important. Now, it needs to be seen how the whole batting lineup revolves around Virat Kohli or around Rohit Sharma,” he added.

Virat Kohli's individual form since 2022

Gambhir went on to add that he personally feels that Virat Kohli’s role will be very important in the World Cup. Kohli has been in red-hot form ever since taking a month-long break last year. He smashed his first international century in almost three years by scoring a hundred in the Asia Cup 2022.

Kohli was the highest run-scorer of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 with 296 runs in six innings, at an average of 98.66. He then smashed his 72nd international century in the third ODI against Bangladesh in December 2022 to end the ODI calendar at a high. He continued his sublime form in the 50-over format by hitting another century in the 1st ODI match against Sri Lanka.

This was the 73rd international century and 45th century in the ODIs for Kohli. While he equaled legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s record of hitting the most no. of centuries at home. Both batters sit at the top of the list with 20 centuries, which is also the joint-highest no. of hundreds by a batter in a country in ODIs.

Virat also leveled Sachin’s record of scoring the most centuries against a single opponent in ODIs. Sachin had hit nine hundred against Australia in his career, while Kohli now has nine against Sri Lanka and nine against West Indies. He will be expected to play a big knock when he comes