"It's like Ronaldo and Messi playing together" - Aakash Chopra concurs with Parthiv Patel that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should open in T20 WC
Aakash Chopra has concurred with Parthiv Patel's views that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should open for India in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Shubman Gill opened with Rohit in India's six-wicket win in the first T20I against Afghanistan in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. While Kohli wasn't available for the game, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was supposed to open with the Indian skipper, was ruled out due to a sore right groin.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Parthiv's suggestion of Rohit and Kohli opening for India in T20Is was a good call. He reasoned (5:30):
"Parthiv Patel said a very good thing. He said Virat (Kohli) and Rohit (Sharma) should open. I said it's not a bad idea. They should open because you want Virat to play in the powerplay."
The former India opener added:
"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should play the first six overs. They are the heart and heartbeat of Indian cricket. It's like Ronaldo and Messi playing together - what can be better than that? From that standpoint, I liked it a lot, do it."
Kohli has opened for India in nine T20Is. However, he has batted at the top of the order only twice since the beginning of 2021, scoring an unbeaten 80 against England in the 2021 home series and an unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan in the 2022 T20 Asia Cup.
"You will be able to play Surya at No. 3" - Aakash Chopra on the scenario of Virat Kohli opening for India
![Suryakumar Yadav has a better average and strike rate at No. 4 than No. 3. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/2e360-17051135882973-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra noted that Virat Kohli opening the batting will allow Suryakumar Yadav to bat at No. 3. He said (5:50):
"If that happens, you will be able to play Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) at No. 3, or else you won't be able to play Surya at No. 3 because Virat Kohli will play at No. 3."
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Men in Blue will struggle to accommodate a wicketkeeper-batter in the XI if Kohli doesn't open. He explained:
"Let's assume you get Yashasvi (Jaiswal) to open. Then Kohli at No. 3, Surya at No. 4, Rinku (Singh) at No. 5 and Hardik (Pandya) at No. 6. Then who will keep wickets? So you are stuck. So you will ask Rohit and Kohli to open. I am with Parthiv Patel. I liked what he said."
India have the option to play wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan as an opener if they want Kohli to bat at No. 3. However, the Jharkhand player seems to have fallen out of favor lately.
Rinku Singh might have to make way if Rohit Sharma and company intend to play a middle-order wicketkeeper-batter, subject to Hardik Pandya being fit and available.