Four-Star Batters: The T20 format has evolved at a rapid rate. Batters have taken their game to the next level. It is all about posting and scaling huge targets. No score is a safe score in contemporary T20 cricket.
Australia – The venue for T20 World Cup 2022
The pitches in Australia, the venue for the T20 World Cup, are expected to be flat. They will aid run-scoring. The true bounce in the wickets will help batters to hit through the line. Players with decisive footwork always thrive in Australian conditions. It’s for the first time that a T20 World Cup will be played down under.
We look at Four-Star Batters to watch out for this T20 World Cup:
#4 Jos Buttler
He is arguably one of the finest limited-overs batsmen of his generation. Jos Buttler has taken over from where AB de Villiers had left. He is the side’s finest batsman in white-ball cricket. The fact that Buttler will be leading his side in the T20 World Cup adds more responsibility to his shoulders.
It was England who brought in the all-out attack game post the 2015 World Cup. But they have been caught napping in the last couple of years as other sides have taken over the mantle. It will be up to Buttler to set things straight for the England team come the T20 World Cup.
#3 Babar Azam
He is going through a prolonged lean patch. Babar Azam is heads and shoulders above any other Pakistani batsmen across formats. The modern-day requirement of batting quickly as compared to batting deep hasn’t sat well on his shoulders. Babar looks burdened to score at a pace he is not familiar with. But Pakistan needs his class to shine through in the World Cup. If Babar starts firing, they look a different side.
#2 David Miller
He has come a long way in the past year. From being one of the finishers to becoming his side’s premier batsmen, David Miller has had a whirlwind for 12 months. He was the crucial cog for Gujarat Titans when they won the IPL this year. Miller turned back the clock in some style to plug games away from the opposition. He has a much-improved game against spin. Miller will relish playing in these conditions. He could be the finisher who could decisively turn the tournament in South Africa’s direction.
#1 Virat Kohli
He was India’s biggest positive in the Asia Cup. Virat Kohli has made a timely return to form. Opening the innings in the last game against Afghanistan, Kohli was back to his belligerent best. He paced his innings beautifully without once dropping the ball on scoring. Kohli was not just good against pace but was smart against spin too, an area where he had struggled lately.
His first T20I century has come as an opener. Kohli loves playing in Australian conditions, he can ace the World Cup, if he imposes himself right from ball one. There couldn’t be a bigger clue than that about where exactly should Kohli bat in the T20 World Cup.
