"Rohit Sharma plays spin really well": Former Indian cricketer suggests a different opening combination for T20 World Cup 2024
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer believes Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli should open the batting for the Men in Blue at the T20 World Cup beginning next week. There has been a lot of talk about how India's opening combination could look with Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal, and Kohli in the mix.
Rohit and Jaiswal opened the batting in the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier this year, with Kohli slotting in at No. 3. However, Jaffer has opined that the Men in Blue were better off unleashing Jaiswal and Kohli at the top. He believes both Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav have the spin game to adapt to the situation in the middle overs.
Here's what Wasim Jaffer wrote in his post on X (formerly Twitter) about India's opening combination:
"Kohli & Jaiswal should open in the World Cup imo. Rohit & SKY should bat 3&4 depending on the start we get. Rohit plays spin really well so batting at 4 shouldn't be a concern. #T20WorldCup #INDvPAK #INDvIRE"
Jaiswal's ability to be explosive at the top of the order is well-documented. However, the IPL 2024 season seems to be a big reason for Jaffer to back Kohli as the opener for the Men in Blue. Opening for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Kohli scored 741 runs in 15 games at an incredible average of 61.75 and an impressive strike rate of 154.69.
"Virat is a master of the first six" - Matthew Hayden on India's batting lineup
Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden recently shared an opinion similar to that of Wasim Jaffer. Speaking to Star Sports, Hayden explained why he felt Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli would be an ideal opening combination for India.
"The reason I say that is Virat is a master of the first six. And once the power hitting comes into play, there are other great options, including Rohit. Look at his figures at No. 4, they are superb. Those are better than his opening numbers," Hayden said.
Hayden also shed light on how well the duo would complement each other with the left-hand-right-hand combination and did not favor Rohit Sharma opening the batting for the Men in Blue.