In a recent development, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli reportedly sought clarity from the selection committee regarding his spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad. The committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is said to be keen on having Kohli open the batting alongside Rohit Sharma for the upcoming tournament in the USA and West Indies.
Kohli, who has been opening regularly for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, is currently the Orange Cap holder with 361 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 147. This move by the selectors could see Kohli returning to his opening position in international cricket, a role he started with in ODIs against Sri Lanka in 2008 before shifting to No.3 and making it his own.
The decision to open with Kohli could potentially impact the middle-order composition, allowing for power hitters like Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, or Riyan Parag to take charge after the powerplay. Suryakumar Yadav is likely to slot in at No.3, providing more depth to the batting line-up.
However, this change would also mean that Yashasvi Jaiswal might have to sit out, with selectors considering Shubman Gill as a backup opener due to his consistent performances in the IPL. Jaiswal, who was initially the frontrunner for the opener’s spot, has seen a shift in favor towards Gill after the first few matches of the IPL.
Kohli’s record as an opener in T20Is is impressive, with 400 runs in 9 matches at an average of 57, higher than his career T20I average of 51. His strike rate also jumps from 138 to 161 when he opens the batting in this format. His only T20I century, the highest individual score by an Indian in T20Is, came while opening against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2022.
In the only instance when Kohli opened with Rohit in T20Is, India put on 224 runs against England, with the opening partnership being 94 in 9 overs. Kohli top-scored with 80 off 52 balls, while Rohit scored a rapid 64 off 34 balls.
The selectors are reportedly leaning towards this strategic move to strengthen India’s batting line-up and maximize Kohli’s impact at the top of the order in the T20 World Cup.
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