Former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly backed two of Team India's senior batters, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open the batting at the T20 World Cup 2024.
He reckoned that the in-form Kohli should partner the Indian captain at the top of the order, instead of youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Get the latest sports betting odds on ICC T20 World Cup 2024 here!
Why Sourav Ganguly wants Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open during the T20 World Cup?
During an exclusive interview with RevSportz, the former India captain, Sourav Ganguly was asked about who should open the batting during the World Cup among Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
He backed the Team India veterans Kohli and Rohit, saying:
"I would open with Virat and Rohit. I want Virat to bat the way he did for RCB in the second half of the IPL. He has to bat with freedom. Needless to say, he is a great player, but for India to do well, Virat will have to bat with freedom like he did in the IPL. So my choice would be Virat and Rohit at the top of the order."
Ganguly wants Kohli to bat with freedom at the top of the order, where he can take advantage of the powerplay overs like he did during the recently concluded IPL 2024.
Should Virat Kohli open the batting in T20 World Cup 2024?
It goes without saying that a batter of Virat Kohli's stature can be a great asset for any team in the top order. If the recent season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is anything to go by, he should definitely continue to open the batting.
Kohli won the Orange Cap in IPL 2024 after scoring the most runs in the tournament. He racked up 741 runs at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69, including 5 half centuries and 1 hundred.
What makes his case even more straightforward is the aggressive intent and control with which he dominated the powerplay batting at the top of the order for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Virat Kohli in Overs 1-6 in IPL 2024:
| Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Fours | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 373 | 93.2 | 161.5 | 36 | 21 |
India’s complete schedule for the 2024 T20 World Cup
| Fixture | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| India vs Ireland | June 5, 2024 | 8:00 PM | Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York |
| India vs Pakistan | June 9, 2024 | 8:00 PM | Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York |
| USA v India | June 12, 2024 | 8:00 PM | Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York |
| India vs Canada | June 15, 2024 | 8:00 PM | Central Broward Regional Park, Lauderhill |
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