Rohit-Kohli to Open, Jaiswal at 3, Pant for Samson – Sunil Gavaskar’s lineup for India’s opening T20 World Cup match against Ireland.

(source Hindustan times)

Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian cricketer, has unveiled his selections for India’s opening match in the T20 World Cup 2024 against Ireland, set to occur tomorrow at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

There has been considerable speculation regarding Virat Kohli’s batting position, especially after his stellar performance in the recent Indian Premier League season where he emerged as the top run-scorer. Typically, Kohli has batted at number three for the Indian team.

In an interview with Star Sports, Gavaskar proposed that Virat Kohli should open the innings alongside Indian captain Rohit Sharma for the Ireland game. He also recommended that Yashasvi Jaiswal be moved down to the number three spot.

Interestingly, despite his inconsistent performances, Yashasvi Jaiswal was not given an opportunity to bat according to Gavaskar’s suggestions.

“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to open the batting along with Yashasvi Jaiswal at three”, Gavaskar said on Star Sports while giving his preferred line-up for the game.

In terms of his choice for the wicketkeeper position, the ex-Indian cricketer favored Rishabh Pant over Sanju Samson. Additionally, he selected Mohammed Siraj to accompany Jasprit Bumrah in the pace-bowling lineup.

In their lone warm-up match against Bangladesh leading up to the tournament, India showcased dominance across all aspects of the game, securing a convincing 60-run victory. Standout performances from players like Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh were among the highlights.

Following the match against Ireland, India is set to face their arch-rivals, Pakistan, on Sunday. Rohit Sharma and his team will aim to mount a strong title challenge and potentially bring an end to the seven-year title drought that has persisted.

Sunil Gavaskar’s Prediction for India’s XI in T20 World Cup 2024: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.