When it comes to white-ball cricket, Virat Kohli is arguably the greatest of this generation. Whether he is better than Sachin Tendulkar or not is an endless debate. However, Kohli is undisputed when it comes to T20Is and when it comes to run chases, the level goes further up by a few notches.
During India's Super 8s encounter against South Africa in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 22), Kohli's absence was felt as India move towards a huge loss while chasing a strong target of 188. On a black soil surface that didn't really change much due to lack of dew, India's chase never really took off as wickets fell from the start with no batter taking charge of the situation.
While they are ranked no.1 in T20Is and have barely lost a game in this format over the last 18 months, the defeat to South Africa adds to a shocking stat for India in T20 World Cup history. They have only chased a target of 160-plus three times and on all three occasions, Kohli was the Player of the Match.
These three games are all quite a few years apart as well. The first game was the 2014 semifinal against South Africa where India were set a target of 173. Led by Kohli's blistering 44-ball 72*, India coasted home with five balls to spare in a chase where the result was never really in doubt at any point.
The second instance came in the 2016 World Cup clash against Australia where India were set a target of 161 on a decent batting surface. The chase wasn't that straightforward due to Australia's relentless bowling but Kohli dished out a 51-ball 82*, a masterclass that is famously known for his running between the wickets with MS Dhoni, as much as it is for his brilliant tempo to the innings.
In the 2022 World Cup, the third instance arrived as Kohli arguably produced his best T20I innings till date. Chasing a tricky target of 160 on a two-paced pitch, India were down for the count in the chase until Kohli overcame a personal struggle himself in the innings to unleash a beast mode finish. It took India to a famous win against Pakistan in a thrilling finish.
India's current T20I side is lethal, especially on good batting pitches but they have shown vulnerability on tracks that have demanded adaptability. More so in run chases and they need somebody to show a bit of Kohli's famous flexibility, if they are to ace run chases under high pressure.