Hope India don't pick Kohli for T20 World Cup: Maxwell

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell joked that it would be better if India do not pick his Indian Premier League (IPL) teammate Virat Kohli for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in June.

Despite being the top-scorer in the IPL with 319 runs in six innings, including one century and two fifties, Kohli has come under scrutiny for his strike rate of 141.77. 

He became the first centurion of this edition of the IPL with his brilliant 72-ball 113 against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. Kohli's 67-ball ton was the joint-slowest along with Manish Pandey. And the star batter was overshadowed by Rajasthan batter Jos Buttler's 58-ball 100 in a game that RCB lost by six wickets. 

However, while many are questioning if Kohli is a good fit for the India squad for the upcoming World Cup, Australia's Maxwell heaped praise on the 35-year-old. 

"Virat Kohli is the most clutch player I have ever played against," Maxwell told ESPN ahead of RCB's game against Mumbai Indians on Thursday. RCB lost to Mumbai in that game by seven wickets with Kohli scoring a nine-ball three.

"The innings he [Kohli] played against us [Australia] in Mohali during the 2016 T20 World Cup is still the best innings I have ever seen anyone play against me. His awareness of what he needs to do to win the game is just phenomenal. I hope India don't pick him because it will be great to not come up against him," Maxwell added.