Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed to fire against Pakistan in the last match©AFP
As India prepares to take on Pakistan Test in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match in Colombo on Sunday, the team management has a major concern to deal with. Historically, the venue has not been as productive for Rohit Sharma as he would have liked. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, has performed wonders at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. While it is crucial for the Indian team to get the entire Indian team clicking as a unit, the skipper’s performance against the mighty Pakistani bowling attack could lay the foundation for the direction the match will take.
Virat Kohli’s record in Colombo:
Virat Kohli remains one of the best run-getters in the history of the game and Colombo has been a happy hunting ground for him. Kohli has played eight ODIs at the venue so far and amassed 519 runs at a Don Brandman-esque average of 103.80. He has scored as many as three centuries in Colombo so far, with a highest score of 131. In fact, Virat’s scores in the last three innings in Colombo read 110*, 131, 128*. All these runs had come against Sri Lanka. Having failed to get results against Pakistan in the group stage, Kohli would be keen to turn things around in the Super 4 match.
Rohit Sharma’s record in Colombo:
While Kohli was in stunning form at the venue, Rohit Sharma’s record was abysmal. The India captain has also played nine ODIs in Colombo but managed to amass just 196 runs at a below-par average of 24.50. In these 9 matches, Rohit has scored just one century. Although Rohit’s record does not speak in Rohit’s favor, he had a phenomenal performance against Nepal in the last match. The message from the team management would be more of the same for the India captain.
The Indian team’s performance has been in the spotlight for a long time, especially as critics look to assess what Rohit Sharma’s men are capable of at the 2023 ODI World Cup. While many consider Pakistan to be the favorites to go the distance in the Asia Cup, how India will face them in the Super 4 battle could perhaps help the experts gauge the true prowess of the subcontinent giants.
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