Aakash Chopra and Irfan Pathan combined to select their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup and the former suggested an option that could allow Virat Kohli to open for India.
While it remains far-fetched, Virat Kohli had opened for India last year in a T20I against England, and the experiment reaped rewards. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had put together a blistering opening stand of 94 runs in merely 9 overs, as India put a mammoth total of 224/2.
Aakash Chopra: Certainties Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant Gives An Option To Open With Virat Kohli
However, an abundance of opening options like Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and KL Rahul in the Indian squad didn’t allow Virat Kohli to return to the opening spot.
“Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant are all certain in the 15 (15-member squad for the World Cup). They also give you an option to open with Kohli, and play Rahul in the middle-order. Rahul can also be your second wicketkeeping option,” Aakash Chopra said.
“You need a left-hander in the middle-order and Rishabh Pant fills that space. Ravindra Jadeja has also been tried in the middle-order recently (in the T20Is against Sri Lanka),” Aakash Chopra said.
While Suryakumar Yadav had a magnificent showing in the three-match rubber against the Windies, it was Shreyas Iyer — with three back-to-back half-centuries — who stole the limelight against Sri Lanka.
Irfan Pathan: Suryakumar Yadav Worthy Of Praise By The Way He Cemented His Place In XI
Irfan Pathan, meanwhile, named two players who he believes are guaranteed to be in the XI in the T20I World Cup.
“I think SKY (Suryakumar) and Pant are in the XI, you can take that in writing. I know there is still time and they have to keep performing, but the way SKY has cemented his place in the XI, it’s really worthy of praise,” said Pathan.
