'Biggest load of rubbish I have ever heard in my life' - Aaron Finch on doubts on Virat Kohli's place in T20 World Cup

Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has strongly dismissed the ongoing debate questioning Virat Kohli's place in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Finch firmly backed Kohli as one of the greatest white-ball cricketers.

Kohli's limited appearances in T20Is since India's semi-final exit at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and the rise of youngsters have led to speculations about his future in the shortest-game format. However, Kohli's recent match-winning knock of 77 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 silenced many critics. 

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People always talk about Virat Kohli: Aaron Finch

The 35-year-old faced similar doubts leading into the 2022 World Cup before roaring back to form with a brilliant campaign. Finch couldn't understand why Kohli's place is questioned before every major ICC event. In a conversation on 'Around the Wicket', the Aussie said, 

"I can't understand why every time there is an ICC event coming up in any format, people always talk about Virat Kohli, is he under pressure for his spot? That is the biggest load of rubbish I have ever heard in my life. He is the greatest player that I have seen in white ball cricket."

"Finch further highlighted Kohli's ability to consistently deliver in big games as his standout quality. "It does not matter whether he strikes at 140, and there are guys that strike at 160. If I am picking a team, you are picking a guy, who you know day in and day out, gets the job done in the big games. So, it is just ludicrous that we keep having this conversation," Finch added

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Kohli and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma have been away from T20I cricket since the World Cup loss in 2022. While both the veteran cricketers made a roaring comeback in the Afghanistan T20I series early in the year. Kohli after that was on a two-month break due to the birth of his second child. He took the field for the first time since the break against Chennai Super Kings in the curtain raiser of the tournament. After that brilliant knock against PBKS, the batter also has the orange cap.