Pathan suggested that if Kohli opens, it could enable Dube and Rinku to play, highlighting the importance of Kohli’s batting position in shaping India’s T20 World Cup squad.
The debate over India’s opening combination for the upcoming T20 World Cup has intensified, with former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan weighing in with his recommendation. Pathan advocated for Yashasvi Jaiswal to partner with captain Rohit Sharma at the top, citing Jaiswal’s dynamic style of play and an impressive international strike rate of 160.
However, Pathan emphasized that success at the World Cup hinged not only on player selection but also on the batting order. He highlighted the crucial role of Virat Kohli, suggesting that deploying Kohli as an opener could optimize the team composition. By doing so, Pathan believes India could unlock the potential of other players like Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh, who might not feature prominently if Kohli bats at number three.
“See, as far as I’m concerned, the Indian openers should be Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma, purely because of the right-hand and left-hand combination. Don’t forget that Yashasvi Jaiswal’s international strike rate is 160 and you need that firepower,” stated Irfan Pathan on Star Sports’ Press Room Show.
“If Virat opens up the batting, what happens is that it will allow the combination of 11 to be in a certain way, which you want. If that happens, you might see Shivam Dube playing, if he’s there in the squad. You might see guys like Rinku Singh in the playing 11 as well. But if Virat bats at number three, that might not happen. So that’s a big challenge,” he added.
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Pathan also highlighted the versatility of Yashasvi Jaiswal, noting his potential as an emergency bowling option alongside his batting skills. By utilizing Jaiswal’s bowling ability, India could field five specialist bowlers while strengthening the batting lineup.
“No one bowls in the top six and that’s the biggest challenge what we have as Indian cricket. And that’s what we need to consider that as well. So for me, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma and then Virat bats at number three,” Pathan concluded.
Last Updated on April 27, 2024
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