New Delhi: Renowned former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra, has expressed his desire to see the formidable duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opening the innings for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, set to take place in the West Indies and USA. Chopra believes that the pitch conditions in these venues offer a prime opportunity for the duo to capitalize on scoring runs within the initial six overs of the innings.
The anticipated partnership between Rohit and Virat will mark their first appearance together in a T20I match in over a year, with the last encounter being India's defeat to England in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. As India currently leads the series against Afghanistan 1-0, the synergy between these two prolific batsmen is eagerly awaited by fans.
Aakash Chopra, in a discussion on his Youtube channel, highlighted Virat Kohli's proficiency in building his innings cautiously and accelerating later, a strategy that has proven successful in various formats. However, Chopra emphasized that in T20Is, Virat has demonstrated an ability to score briskly in the powerplay. He suggested that the team management should consider deploying them as openers starting from the Afghanistan series.
"Virat Kohli has a specific playing style, scoring crucial runs by adhering to a template. Even in T20s, he doesn't start aggressively, taking his time. If the team aims for a high strike rate, he achieves it in the powerplay," remarked Chopra.
Virat, who opens for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL), boasts an impressive record as an opener for India, amassing 400 runs in nine matches at an average of 57.14, with a remarkable strike rate of 161.29.
Chopra pointed out the conducive pitch conditions in New York and the West Indies, asserting that the initial overs present optimal opportunities for run-scoring. Consequently, he urged the team to consider opening with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, aligning with their proven template.
Chopra also critiqued the team management's preference for Yashasvi Jaiswal as the first-choice opener over Shubman Gill. He disapproved of the potential batting order, suggesting that if Yashasvi opens, he would like to see Suryakumar Yadav, India's top-ranked T20 batter, at number three, allowing him more game time to influence the match.
"In your long-term plan, Yashasvi is your first opener alongside Rohit, not Gill. If Yashasvi is available, I do not want Suryakumar Yadav at number four. He is India's number-one T20 batter. I want him at number 3 to give him time to steer the game," emphasized Chopra.
—Input from Agencies