Two of Indian cricket's stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20 international cricket, following their title-win at the T20 World Cup 2024, in Barbados.
Rohit departs as Team India's highest run-scorer in T20Is with 4231 runs, followed by Kohli, who has scored 4188 runs.
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In this article, The Sporting News looks at the possible replacements for the opening spot of the Indian T20I team.
Who are the possible candidates for India's next T20I openers?
While it will be difficult for any batsman to fill the void left by two Indian legends, Kohli and Rohit, there are several youngsters who can take up the role and flourish in it.
The BCCI selectors might have given us a hint with the players that they have selected for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.
READ MORE: India T20I squad for Zimbabwe series announced; Shubman Gill named captain
Here are some of the candidates for Team Inda's next openers after Kohli-Rohit retirement:
Shubman Gill
The Punjab opener has been a part of the Indian white-ball setup for a couple of years, where he has showcased his class and ability at the top of the order. Gill has also been a key player for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he won the orange cap for the most run scored in the 2023 season.
He will lead the Indian team during the upcoming T20I series against India, as the management also looks for the future captain of the national team.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Jaiswal was part of the T20 World Cup 2024 champions' squad. Despite not featuring in any of the matches, he would have gained valuable experience travelling with the title-winning team.
Moreover, his attacking style of batting coupled with him being a left-hander, has impressed a large set of fans and experts alike. He also featured in Test cricket for Team India earlier this year, showcasing his ability to adapt across formats while also scoring consistently at a brisk rate, at the top of the order.
Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma, like Jaiswal is a left-handed batter, known for his aggressive style, and has been selected for the Zimbabwe series this month.
He had a standout year with the IPL 2024 finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he emerged as a key batter at the top of the order, scoring 484 runs at a strike rate of 204.21.
In addition to his attacking intent as an opener, he also offers versatility to the team with his all-round value as a slow left-arm spin bowler.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad will be expected to be a key player for Team India in the upcoming years. He can challenge Shubman Gill, for not only the opening spot but also the captaincy as both players led their respective teams during the IPL 2024 season.
Like Gill, Gaikwad, possesses a similar style of batting like that of Virat Kohli - with their ability to anchor the batting with controlled starts and accelerate the scoring when needed as well. He had also scored his first T20I century in an unbeaten 123* off 57 balls against Australia in a T20 series in November, last year.
MORE: Who will be India's next T20 captain? Candidates listed as Rohit steps down
There is no doubt that India will face a challenge to replace experienced and quality players like Rohit and Kohli. However, the country has managed to consistently produce highly talented batters and the likes of Gill, Jaiswal, Abhishek and Gaikwad will be promising candidates to fill this void.
Sanju Samson, who is likely to fill in at Number 3 can also be another decent option for the opening slot.
Moreover, there are other candidates including KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan, currently sidelined by the team, who can also make their return to the team, which will also depend on the philosophy of Team India's next head coach and captain.
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