'If Kohli is available, he will play': Ishant Sharma’s take on India’s XI for 2nd T20I

Virat Kohli is currently going through the most prolonged rough patch of his cricketing career, but his position in the squad has never been in doubt. 

Many cricket pundits, including Kapil Dev, have assessed that it might be time to find an apt replacement for the ex-skipper before the T20 World Cup.

With key players like Virat, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja back in the squad for the second T20I against England, questions are being raised about who to drop and who to be picked.

Considering the World Cup is just around the corner, India would want to mould a solid and stable eleven before the mega tournament. But unfortunately, India failed to do the same for the 2021 World Cup and paid the price by getting knocked out in the Super 12 rounds.

The major problem for Kohli could be the emergence of Deepak Hooda, who has established himself as a starter for the Men in Blue in T20Is. He has been in scintillating form in the IPL and the series against Ireland. If Kohli is named in the eleven, Hooda will likely be pushed down the order.

Experts believe that would be unfair to the man in form and that Kohli has done nothing to warrant such preferences. 

But not everyone is on the same page, as India's veteran pace bowler Ishant Sharma believes that Kohli has to play in his preferred position if available. 

"I think it will be hard on Deepak Hooda, because Virat Kohli will come in at No.3. It is something that no matter how much you try to tell yourself, the truth is that if Kohli is available, he will play," Ishant said on Jatin Sapru's YouTube channel.

He also believes that other regulars, Pant and Jadeja, will find themselves back in the playing eleven, but Shreyas might have to wait. 

"Ravindra Jadeja should come in for Axar Patel, he can hit the ball just like Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik," he said. "I think Suryakumar Yadav will play both of the remaining matches at No 4 ahead of Shreyas Iyer. They might rotate the five incoming players because these are back-to-back matches."