(BCCI Photo)
Rohit Sharma’s Indian cricket team is leaving no stone unturned in its preparations for the T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland in New York. Their convincing victory over Bangladesh in the warm-up match undoubtedly bolstered their confidence ahead of embarking on the tournament journey. However, the crucial decision regarding the opening partnership still hangs in the balance.
With options like Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal available, India finds itself at a crossroads in selecting Rohit’s opening companion. While many cricket experts advocate for the Rohit-Kohli partnership, head coach Rahul Dravid remains tight-lipped, choosing not to reveal their strategy until match day.
When questioned about the opening duo for the upcoming clash against Ireland, the ex-India captain adeptly sidestepped the query, emphasizing that the selection process hinges solely on the prevailing conditions.
“We have got options. We are obviously not going to reveal our cards just yet. We have got Rohit and Jaiswal and Virat’s opening in the IPL as well. We’ve picked the team keeping in mind that we did have three options and we could pick and choose what we wanted depending on the conditions, depending on the kind of combination we go into these games with,” Dravid told reporters.
“We’ll see what it’s like, but it’s nice to have some real quality options at the top of the order,” Dravid added.
The Rohit-Kohli partnership remains the preferred choice among pundits and analysts.
Although Jaiswal presents an enticing option to partner with Rohit in the prestigious tournament, experts persist in advocating for Kohli’s elevation to the opening slot. The ex-captain enters the fray following a remarkable IPL season, amassing 741 runs as an opening batsman and clinching the Orange Cap.
Ambati Rayudu, a former India batsman, expressed his belief that Kohli should open alongside Rohit, with Suryakumar Yadav slotting in at number three.
In a conversation with Star Sports, the ex-cricketer mentioned that once Kohli finds his rhythm, he can adeptly assume the role of anchoring the innings.
“To talk seriously, I think he should open the innings because Surya will come in at three. I think the both of them along with Rohit should get the most number of balls in terms of batting,” Rayudu told Star Sports.
“Virat, especially when he settles down, opening the innings, can carry his bat through and play that anchor role because you don’t have an impact. You need somebody to play that anchor role. It can either be Rohit or Virat. So I think he should open,” he added.
