Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra hopes that the Mumbai Indians duo of Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma to be one of the most successful opening pairs in IPL 2024 as well. Kishan had a decent run in IPL 2023, scoring 454 runs in 15 innings at an average of 30.27 and a strike rate of 142.76. On the other side, Rohit faced an indifferent season, scoring 332 runs in 16 innings which came at an average of 20.75 and a strike rate of 132.80 as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “I want to move towards Mumbai now. Firstly, you have released Rohit Sharma from captaincy duties. When we talk about a top-class player like Rohit Sharma, we say that a 600-run season will be there for sure. However, he has never had a 600-run season. This could be that season.”
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“There is nothing to prove per se, but, then, there is a lot to prove. I feel he will hit a lot as he is not the captain. Ishan Kishan will be hungry, as he has not got a central contract. This is the only thing he is playing. What else is he playing?” the former India opener further added.
Aakash Chopra also added that IPL 2024 presents the best opportunity for Ishan Kishan to stake his claim for a spot in the Indian team. Kishan, along with Shreyas Iyer, was not given a BCCI central contract recently. An excellent IPL campaign could keep him in the race for a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad as well.
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“Either he has himself opted not to play, or he won’t be selected now. So this is his chance. If you make the IPL your own, you have chances of going forward. Then there is, of course, Wankhede’s flat pitch. The ball will come nicely onto the bat and go far,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan could be another consistent kind of opening pair.”Both are seasoned players. You expect a 400 to 450-run season from Shikhar Dhawan. As he is not playing cricket, this is all that he is going to play.”
