Experienced Indian batsman Suresh Raina emphasizes the significance of having senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup squad, set to take place in the West Indies and the United States this June. The duo made their return to the T20I setup during the Afghanistan series, with Rohit Sharma reclaiming the T20I captaincy and Kohli expected to play a crucial role in the batting lineup for the upcoming ICC event.
Raina, a stalwart in India’s T20 batting lineup, suggests that the presence of Rohit and Kohli will provide the team with much-needed stability.
“Considering the World Cup venues in the USA and the West Indies, the pitches might pose a challenge. India will benefit from the experience that Rohit and Kohli bring. Kohli is on the verge of reaching 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. Their presence will bolster India’s batting, significantly improving our chances in the T20 World Cup,” expressed Suresh Raina during an interaction as an expert with JioCinema and Sports18.
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He further lauds the excellent form displayed by both players in the recent ODI World Cup, highlighting Rohit’s leadership qualities.
“Their form in the ODI World Cup was impressive, and Rohit’s leadership adds a lot of intent to the dressing room as well.”
Raina suggests that Kohli should bat at No. 3, leaving the opening slots to Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“I believe Kohli should bat at No. 3. His experience will provide solidity, especially in the challenging conditions in the US and the Caribbean. While there are fearless young cricketers like Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, or Shubman Gill, the presence of Rohit and Kohli will add solidity to the unit. This is crucial, particularly when chasing a target in a high-pressure event like the World Cup,” said Suresh Raina.
Delighted by the progress of Rinku Singh, Raina acknowledges his contribution as a finisher and emphasizes the importance of having match-winners like him in the squad, especially if Rishabh Pant recovers in time for the World Cup. Anticipating a challenging three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, Raina advises Indian batsmen to take an aggressive approach against Afghan spinners, who possess quality bowlers like Noor Ahmad and Abid Nabi.
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“Attacking Afghan spinners is crucial. They have quality spinners, and Afghanistan effectively utilizes them in the Power Play. We have Rohit, Kohli, and Gill, who handle spin well. Therefore, we need to put pressure on them from the start to keep the Afghan bowlers on the back foot,” concluded Suresh Raina.
