3 opening combinations better than Rohit Sharma-KL Rahul for India in T20Is
India have been one of the best T20I teams in the world on the basis of their overall record. However, their performances in the T20 World Cups have been far from impressive.
India have failed to win a T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007. They have had multiple group-stage exits - 2009, 2010, 2012 & 2021.
One of the major reasons for India's poor performances in multinational tournaments has been the fact that the opening pair have often failed to step up against top teams. Although KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma have a staggering record as a pair in bilaterals, they did not perform at the same level in the last two editions of the T20 WC.
Indian team T20 squad vs New Zealand:
Hardik (C), Suryakumar (VC), Ishan, Ruturaj, Gill, Hooda, Tripathi, Jitesh, Sundar, Kuldeep , Chahal, Arshdeep, Umran, Mavi, Prithvi Shaw, Mukesh Kumar
Rahul Dravid and Hardik Pandya have indicated that India will most likely have a younger squad for the upcoming edition of the tournament in 2024. Since the ODI World Cup will be a priority for senior players this year, it's time for the management to invest in fresh talent.
Here are the three opening pairs that could be better than the Rohit-Rahul duo in T20Is.
#1 Prithvi Shaw & Rahul Tripathi
Prithvi Shaw is among the most skilled and talented youngsters in India. Although he has dominated in all three formats at the domestic level, he is best suited to the T20 format.
In the IPL, the right-handed opener has scored 1588 runs at an average of 25 and a strike rate of 147.45. He received a call-up for the T20I team for the first time since his debut in July 2021.
Rahul Tripathi has the right intent when it comes to T20 cricket. He is ready to take risks and make the most of the powerplay overs. His IPL record is also impressive, as he has scored 1798 runs in the tournament at an average of 29.09 and a strike rate of 140.80. Tripathi fearless mindset might just be what the team needs at this point.
The next T20 WC is scheduled to take place in the West Indies & USA. The pitches there are generally slow, which means that the first six overs are often crucial in deciding the course of the innings. An aggressive opening pair which gives quick-fire starts on a regular basis will allow the middle-order batters to build their innings according to the pitch conditions and quality of the opposition.
#2 Prithvi Shaw & Rishabh Pant
Pant Shaw opening post this WC🤲
Although this is a completely different choice, the opening pair of Shaw and Pant looks extremely destructive on paper. Both of them have opened for India at the U-19 level and destroyed opposition bowling attacks for fun.
Pant has a middling T20 record for the national team - 987 runs at an average of 22.43 and a strike rate of 126.37. His IPL record, on the other hand, is exceptional. Pant has had several seasons where he has scored over 300 runs at a strike rate of above 150. He could possibly make the most of the field restrictions if he gets to open the innings.
The batting order of Shaw, Pant, Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Hardik Patel & Axar Patel could work out extremely well for India's T20 setup. All batters can adopt an aggressive approach, similar to England's.
In case of a collapse, experienced batters such as Hardik and Surya can take responsibility and set the tone for the rest of the innings. However, this will only be possible if Pant has had enough match practice post his recovery due to a car accident.
#3 Prithvi Shaw & Ishan Kishan
Just want Ishan Kishan and Prithvi Shaw to open in T20I series against New Zealand.
Ishan Kishan has been the first-choice opener for the T20I team in the absence of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. After a promising start to his career, his form in T20 cricket has taken a hit in the past year. As an opener, he has scored 843 runs at nearly 8 runs per over and 35 runs per dismissal in T20s.
Kishan generally takes a bit of time to settle down when he is not in the best form. A batting partner like Shaw will reduce the pressure on him and allow him to play more freely. Kishan is destructive against spinners, while Shaw can take on the fast bowlers early in the innings.
India might try this opening combination in the upcoming series against New Zealand. An LHB-RHB opening pair at the top of the order might just be something that the team needs in their best T20 XI.