Virat Kohli’s batting position in the upcoming T20 World Cup has sparked a debate among cricket experts. Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that Kohli opening the innings with skipper Rohit Sharma would create opportunities for power-hitting finishers like Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube in the Indian playing XI.
Pathan, who played a pivotal role in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup triumph, suggests that Yashasvi Jaiswal should partner Rohit Sharma as the openers due to their contrasting batting styles and Jaiswal’s impressive international strike rate of 160. However, he acknowledges that Kohli opening the batting would allow for a more balanced team composition.
“If Virat opens up the batting, it will allow the combination of 11 to be in a certain way, which you want,” Pathan explained. “If that happens, you might see Shivam Dubey playing, if he’s there in the squad. You might see guys like Rinku Singh in the playing 11 as well.”
Pathan also emphasizes the importance of Jaiswal’s underutilized leg-break bowling, which could provide the team with an additional bowling option. “Jaiswal has actually been bowling regularly in the nets,” he said. “So what you can do is you can actually play proper five bowlers and maybe have him as a sixth bowler, as an option to keep it.”
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden also advocates for Kohli batting as much as possible in the powerplay. “I’ve got to have him in the powerplay,” Hayden said. “If I’m going to pick him, he has to play in the powerplay. He has to play the majority of those six overs as an opener.”
Hayden believes that Kohli’s batting position is crucial for India’s success in the World Cup. “It all comes down to are we interested in selecting a side that we believe is the right balance and is going to win this World Cup,” he said.
