T20 World Cup: Ashish Nehra picks Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli among India’s leading run-scorers 

Former Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra has predicted India’s leading run-getters for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. He picked Indian captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to score the most runs and thinks top-order batters will face maximum deliveries in the showpiece T20 tournament.

Kohli has been in tremendous form since the Asia Cup. He recently smashed a match-winning knock of 63 off 48 against Australia in a T20I series decider in Hyderabad. His latest outing witnessed him slamming 49* off 28 balls against the Proteas in a T20I held in Guwahati.

In 2022, the 33-year-old has amassed 485 runs in 14 games at an average of 44.09, comprising four fifties a solitary century.

On the other hand, Rohit has failed to deliver for India consistently in T20Is. The right-handed batter registered a couple of ducks in the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa. He also scored only three runs against Western Australia XI on Monday (October 10).

However, the swashbuckling opener has scored 540 runs in 23 matches at a strike rate of 142.48 this year, which includes a couple of half-centuries.

The Men in Blue will be hopeful of top performances from the veteran batters in the T20 World Cup if India want to lift the trophy after a 15-year gap.

Speaking to ICC, Nehra said:

“Just as we talk about who will be India’s leading run-scorer in T20 cricket, whoever bats at the top will obviously be among the runs like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. You’ll rarely see anybody claim that Dinesh Karthik or Hardik Pandya will finish as the tournament’s leading run-getter because they will face fewer deliveries.”

---

Ashish Nehra picks X-factors for T20 World Cup

Nehra also picked a couple of bowlers as X-factors for the T20 World Cup. Interestingly, he didn’t pick any Indian bowlers but chose to go ahead with Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf and Proteas pacer Anrich Nortje.

Rauf has been phenomenal for Pakistan in the absence of ace pacer Shaheen Afridi since the Asia Cup. He recently picked up eight wickets in six T20Is against England at home. He has also scalped 3/28 against the BlackCaps in the ongoing tri-series. In 2022, he has scalped 21 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 8.03.

Nehra said:

“Some names will also prove to be the X-factor in Australia. First, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf will be key. When you talk of Pakistan, the first name is Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has been brilliant, but Haris Rauf goes under the radar. I’d say he will be important for Pakistan.”

Nehra continued:

“Secondly, South Africa’s (Anrich) Nortje. He has also tackled injuries, but his bowling in Australia could prove to be lethal. These two bowlers could be crucial apart from all the other names I took before.”

It is worth mentioning that Nortje has failed to deliver for the Proteas in T20Is this year. He was out of action for six months after the 2021 T20 World Cup due to an injury (stress fracture).

The senior pacer has taken only six wickets in eight T20Is. The 28-year-old could pick up only one wicket in two appearances during the recently concluded T20I series against India. He also returned wicketless in a couple of ODIs against the Men in Blue.

Rohit Sharma and Co. will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan in Melbourne on Sunday (October 23).

India are also set to play a couple of warm-up matches against Australia (October 17) and New Zealand (October 19).