Veteran Indian batsman Virat Kohli showcased impressive form in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) season, amassing over 700 runs. Despite his stellar performance, former India opener Sunil Gavaskar had earlier criticized Kohli’s strike rate. However, Gavaskar has now changed his stance, recommending that Kohli open the batting for India alongside Rohit Sharma due to his recent form. Gavaskar pointed out that left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal hasn’t been performing well enough to claim a top-order spot for India.
Speaking to Star Sports after the T20 World Cup opener between the USA and Canada, Gavaskar stated, “Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should be the openers. Given Kohli’s batting, especially in the latter half of the IPL, he deserves to open with Rohit Sharma, the captain. Good players are versatile; they can bat in any position, whether they are right-handed or left-handed.”
Gavaskar stressed that while the left-right batting combination is frequently debated on television, the primary focus should be on the players’ skills. “With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, you have two outstanding batters. Considering Kohli’s form in the IPL, he must open the batting,” he added.
India is set to kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5, followed by a highly anticipated match against Pakistan on June 9. The Men in Blue will then face the USA on June 12 and Canada on June 15 in the final phase of the tournament.
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