'It doesn’t matter if Kohli is in': Matthew Hayden sheds light on Virat Kohli's strike-rate uproar

India and RCB batting general, Virat Kohli, silenced the naysayers who questioned his strike rate in the IPL 2024 with back-to-back knocks of 70* (44) and 42 (27) against GT. Following his match-winning innings, the veteran has gone back to the top of the season's leading run-scorers chart, with 542 runs from 11 innings at an average of 67.75 and a strike rate of 148.08.

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Matthew Hayden on Virat Kohl's strike rate

Following his impressive success, there has been much talk of promoting the 35-year-old to begin the innings in the T20 World Cup 2024. Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has also expressed his thoughts on the topic, stating that if the Delhi-born batter is at the crease in the first six overs, regardless of his batting position, he will go hard given India's batting strength.

“That strike rate is trending in the right direction, it’s trending up. Look at the IPL over the last four years, it’s gone from mid and around that 120 then it goes 130 and then 140 and 150. So 150 for me is kind of that sweet spot that starts in and everyone having conversation well where you bat? Is it three, is it open? You know those first six overs, it doesn’t matter if Kohli is in those first six overs. You know that there’s going to be fireworks,” Hayden said on Star Sports.

“You also know that these conditions that are going to be in the West Indies. They’re not so sure about those conditions in New York. I’ve seen that overlaid venue and it looks magnificent. But certainly through the West Indies, they’re going to be benign conditions and Kohli is going to come in and look to strike away knowing that he has a superb batting side that also has a great strike rate,” Hayden added.

Notably, Kohli has played nine T20Is as an opener, scoring 400 runs at an average of 57.14 and a strike rate of 161.29, with his top score of 122*. However, he has had the most success batting at number three in the T20 World Cup, scoring 1132 runs from 24 innings at an average of 87.07 and a strike rate of 132.86, with 14 fifties to his name. With the T20 World Cup just a month away, it will be intriguing to watch if the team management modifies their batting strategy by moving Kohli up the order to open alongside skipper Rohit Sharma.