(AP Photo)

With India advancing to the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2024, focus shifts to the veteran opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Despite a subdued start in the group stages, especially with Kohli recording single-digit scores and Rohit, apart from a fifty against Ireland, struggling in subsequent matches, Sanjay Manjrekar remains optimistic, emphasizing their potential to shine in critical moments.

“Ideally, if you have gone for people like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, then you have gone for experience. You want to take your experienced players in the World Cup to deliver when it matters,” Manjrekar told PTI in an exclusive interview.

Manjrekar said, “So, I don’t mind if certain players are out of form. Coming into the knockouts, if they play a defining innings in a semi-final or the final to win the title, that’s the kind of expectation you must have from your senior players.

India remained undefeated throughout the initial stage, defeating teams such as Ireland, Pakistan, and the United States of America. Their last scheduled match against Canada was canceled due to rain. The Indian team’s next match in the Super 8 phase will kick off against Afghanistan at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 20, 2024.

The Indian squad is counting on their experienced pair to regain their form, anticipating that the Caribbean conditions will favor batsmen more than those in New York.

India is aiming to clinch the T20 World Cup 2024 championship, aiming to break their prolonged ICC title dry spell. Their most recent triumph in this competition dates back to the inaugural 2007 edition, led by a youthful MS Dhoni. This tournament also marks the final stint for Rahul Dravid as Head Coach, concluding his tenure after assuming the role in December 2021.