In the midst of fervent discussions among cricket enthusiasts, the speculation surrounding Virat Kohli’s potential move to the opening slot for India in T20 Internationals has once again taken center stage. This debate gains prominence as the T20 World Cup looms on the horizon, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative. The narrative initially unfolded in 2021 when Kohli, in a surprising move, decided to open alongside Rohit Sharma against England.
The experiment proved successful, with Kohli remaining unbeaten on 80 runs from 52 balls. Encouraged by this outing, Kohli extended his exploration of the opening role to the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he donned the opening mantle for his franchise, the Royal Challengers Bangalore. In 2022, discussions on this intriguing prospect briefly took a back seat until Kohli’s sensational knock of 122 against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, breaking his century drought.
While the opening experiment didn’t materialize in a T20 World Cup game, India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, hinted at the possibility during the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan or the upcoming ICC event in June. However, the two-time World Cup winner, Suresh Raina, dismissed the notion.
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Addressing the media before the T20I series against Afghanistan, Dravid initially confirmed Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rohit’s opening partner. However, he refrained from outright dismissing the idea of Kohli opening, emphasizing that the batting order would be determined by a player’s ability against the bowling attack and the prevailing circumstances, rather than rigidly adhering to left-right combinations.
Rahul Dravid stated, “Nothing is closed (Kohli opening with Rohit). We do not doubt that the kind of ability and skill sets players like Rohit and Kohli possess; they will be able to find answers against different kinds of bowling.” He underscored the importance of players’ abilities against various bowling attacks instead of solely focusing on left-right combinations.
One supporting argument for Kohli’s potential move to the top of the order revolves around his comparatively less stellar record in the middle overs, particularly against spinners. IPL statistics since 2020 reveal a scoring rate of just under 7 runs per over during the middle phase, with a boundary every 10.6 deliveries. These numbers further decline when facing spinners – a scoring rate of 6.3 with a boundary every 14.7 deliveries.
In response to these statistics, Raina, now a cricket expert, firmly rejected the idea of Kohli opening in T20Is. He emphasized the historical success of left-right opening combinations, citing examples like Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag in the 2010s and Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar in the 2000s.
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Suresh Raina explained, “I prefer Kohli to bat at No.3 because if Yashasvi plays, he will open with Rohit because of that left-right combination. We have seen in the past when Gambhir and Sehwag used to play or when Sachin and Dada (Sourav Ganguly) used to play.”
Despite the ongoing debate, Suresh Raina supported the return of Kohli and Rohit for the T20I series, considering their experience crucial for India’s chances in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The veteran batter explained, “It is an excellent step to have two senior players who have played most T20I games for India. And look at their current form, it’s impressive, especially in the ODI World Cup. Also, the pitches will be a bit tricky at the venues where the T20 World Cup will be held. They need experienced players.”
“Rohit is an experienced captain and brings a lot of quality to the dressing room, while Kohli is on the verge of scoring 12000 runs in T20 cricket. So having them in the squad adds strength and brings that experience factor. With Kohli and Rohit back, India have a chance to win the T20 World Cup,” Raina concluded.
