'I don't think the fans need anything else' - Virat Kohli’s T20 approach gets Irfan Pathan’s backing

Former India star all-rounder, Irfan Pathan, discussed the modern-day great, Virat Kohli's, improved strike rate compared to previous Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons in his most recent video on his YouTube channel. The star RCB opener opened his IPL 2025 campaign with a half-century against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2025 opener. 

During Irfan Pathan's Q&A session on YouTube, a fan asked, “Does Virat Kohli fit in the T20 format? One must doubt after seeing Ashutosh Sharma and Nicholas Pooran's match-winning knock."

However, Irfan supported Kohli for his batting style and believed that he is a match-winner for India, stating, “Virat Kohli is a match-winner; his work is generally to run the game, and we have seen that he has won a lot of matches in the IPL and for the Indian team as well. I mean, there are countless matches. His stats are also amazing," he said. 

"Talking about the questions on his strike rate, a lot of things keep happening. I believe, even now, the way T20 cricket is running, wherever the ball will grip, you need a good player. You need a player who does the work of glue. Even in a team like Sunrisers Hyderabad, you need a player who keeps one end safe, and the rest of the batters keep hitting. Yes, there are also times when, in most of the matches, you have to hit from both sides. I think Virat can do that too. So, Virat's place is still there as long as he is winning matches," he added.

Watch the video here:

Still has a place in T20 cricket - Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan also stated that players like Virat Kohli would always put the team's success ahead of their own recognition. The former left-arm bowler said that in the current IPL season, Kohli's role in the RCB lineup will be essential. He also pointed out that Kohli's IPL strike rate of 132 overall highlights how effective he is in the game's short format, stating, "we will talk about everything. The rest of the experts will also talk. He is winning the matches, and I don't think the fans need anything else. Such a player still has a place in T20 cricket,” he said.