(PTI Photo)
Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu expressed his perspective, suggesting that Yashasvi Jaiswal should have partnered with Rohit Sharma as the opening pair, with Virat Kohli batting at number three for India during the current T20 World Cup 2024.
Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu voiced his opinion, indicating that in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, Yashasvi Jaiswal would have been better suited to open alongside Rohit Sharma, while Virat Kohli should have been positioned at number three for India.
India is set to face Pakistan in their upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 fixture at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The Indian team enters this match with momentum, securing an eight-wicket victory against Ireland in their previous encounter. Conversely, Babar Azam’s Pakistan suffered a setback, enduring a disappointing defeat against the United States in a super-over contest in their last game of the prestigious tournament.
Addressing a special session at the ‘Star Sports Press Room,’ Sidhu remarked that the Indian team has altered its composition to accommodate Shivam Dube and Axar Patel.
“Ideally the scenario should have been of the left-right combination, Yashasvi Jaiswal should have opened with Rohit Sharma and Virat to come at number 3 from my point of view. But from a team’s perspective, they have changed the combination because then Shivam Dube and Axar Patel wouldn’t have got the opportunity to play, so they have made this combination for a correct composition where Axar Patel is batting at no. 8, specially in this pitch where bowlers have an advantage,” Sidhu was quoted in a release from Star Sports as saying.
The ex-cricketer further commented that had the T20 World Cup 2024 commenced in the West Indies, India would likely have opted for Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal as the opening pair in the match.
Additionally, the 60-year-old emphasized that scoring 200 runs on New York’s pitch is unrealistic.
“If the tournament would have opened in West Indies, then we would have seen Rohit and Yashasvi opening the match, there you wouldn’t have needed the 6th or the 7th bowler. So from this perspective, the combination of Rohit and Virat is important as they both are experienced players and they understand that 1st 6 overs are important and they can gain runs after that. You can’t expect 200 runs in this pitch, 130 or 140 runs would be good, and this combination will work,” he added.
