 "Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have opened the batting for India so far in the T20 World Cup and are likely to continue in the role despite the fact that they are yet to stitch a solid partnership together. AP")
India became the first team from Group A to qualify for the T20 World Cup Super 8s after defeating USA by seven wickets on Wednesday, collecting their third win on the trot after victories over Ireland and Pakistan, all of which came in New York. On Saturday, the Rohit Sharma-led side will hope to make it four-in-four when they face Canada in Lauderhill, Florida, where they hope rain doesn’t come in their way .
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One of the key talking points with regards to the Indian team, in the weeks preceding the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup as well as after India’s campaign kicked off in New York, has been the opening combination. There was plenty of debate over the choice between Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rohit’s opening partner, with several experts believing going with the more experienced option in Kohli would free up a slot in the middle order that would give the Men in Blue the flexibility of playing an extra all-rounder and add to the balance of the side.
Former India captain Kohli has opened alongside Rohit in all three matches so far in the tournament, but his form appears to have deserted him right after a stellar run in the most recent edition of the IPL, where he finished the leading run-scorer with 741 runs .
Also Read | India are making a mistake by opening with Kohli, says ex-Pakistan cricketer
Former India pacer S Sreesanth, however, is among those who continues to back the combined experience of the two Indian batting stalwarts and immensely successful leaders at the top of the batting order. Speaking exclusively to Firstpost on the sidelines of the T20 World Cup, Sreesanth even said the sight of the two stitching a defining partnership in the tournament would be the “best thing” that can happen to Indian cricket.
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More Shorts“See, Ro-Ko have got a lot of experience. We always talk about experience as something which talent cannot do. But I think they are so talented and with so much experience. I think I’ve been always saying that the left and right hand combination will be great because it won’t be easy for the bowlers to adjust to those line and lengths. But then, where will they bat later? So maybe Virat can come at number three, that’s what I used to think. But personally, I would love to see the change,” Sreesanth, who is a panellist on Disney+ Hotstar’s Caught and Bold show, said.
“Ro-Ko has got so much of experience and the way they have been performing they understand each other. There is a brotherhood when they talk to each other we have seen it in even if you remember the last T20 World Cup where Virat made that victory possible. I still have those memories of Rohit running in and literally lifting Virat up.
“So if these two can, something like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly when they had this amazing partnership… I would love to see Rohit and Virat having a 100-run partnership with a very good strike rate. It will be the best thing that could happen in Indian cricket,” the 41-year-old added.
Also Read | India scrape through to Super 8s, but questions about right batting combination remain
Jaiswal, who had made his international debut last year and whose inclusion would make for a left-right combination at the top, is yet to play a game. The Rajasthan Royals opener wasn’t even part of the action in the warm-up clash against Bangladesh , where his IPL captain Sanju Samson walked out to open the innings alongside Rohit.
Samson could have made a strong case to be retained as an opener once their campaign got underway on 5 June, but was instead relegated to the reserves after he was dismissed on 1 after just six deliveries, getting trapped LBW by an inswinging delivery from Shoriful Islam.
Sreesanth, however, hasn’t given up on Samson just yet, and believes there are other ways the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter can contribute if he can’t replace Kohli as Rohit’s opening partner.
“See, Sanju Samson is surely one of the talented players who have the versatility in batting order. So he can bat from top order to middle order. And if you look at the World Cup camp and he just had a practice game, yes he missed out on that in-swinging left arm seamer. But then we know he can be in the middle order instead of (Shivam) Dube. If Dube is not rotating his arms or if he’s not bowling, I think that will be a brilliant option because he always adapts to the situations and he can change his gear. And he’s got a lot of experience,” said Sreesanth, one of Samson’s most vocal supporters.
“We all know what he can do with the bat, and he is a gun fielder, he is a brilliant fielder. We have seen those Superman catches, he is known for his fielding as well. And he has got a very cool head, calm head.
“So when wickets like New York or even in Barbados or anywhere for that matter, if three or four wickets goes early, I think he can be that somebody who can play the sheet anchor role and play with those finishes like Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. So I would love to see Sanju getting an opportunity and I’m very confident,” Sreesanth added.
‘Would be great if Rahul bhai can win the World Cup’
The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup will also be former India captain Rahul Dravid’s final assignment as head coach, with the BCCI having extended his contract that was originally supposed to expire at the end of last year’s ODI World Cup. Dravid has already indicated his decision to not re-apply for the role, and ex-India opener Gautam Gambhir is widely seen as a favourite to replace him after the tournament.
Also Read | ‘There is no bigger honour’: Gambhir on possibly succeeding Dravid as India coach
Sreesanth hopes Dravid can sign off on a high and help his country win a World Cup as a coach even if he couldn’t do so as a player. Dravid had led India in the 2007 ODI World Cup in the Caribbean in which the Men in Blue crashed out in the group stage.
And Sreesanth, who had made his international debut under Dravid’s captaincy in October 2005, hopes Rohit and Co would be able to win the World Cup for the Indian batting legend the way the MS Dhoni-led team had fulfilled Sachin Tendulkar’s lifelong dream in the 2011 World Cup.
“It is more like redemption of Rahul bhai in 50-over World Cup in 2007. He was the captain. This year he is the coach, and he would love to be going out in a high note. And as Rohit rightly said, he would want Rahul bhai to continue. It would be great if Rahul bhai can win the World Cup, which he totally deserves the kind of things which he’s done for the Indian cricket.
“I’m sure the boys will be really working hard towards winning that World Cup. I think it is more like 2011 World Cup was for Sachin Tendulkar the legend. Playing in the eleven, it will be great if the cricket players can dedicate this World Cup completely to Rahul Dravid for his amazing contribution to the game,” Sreesanth added.
Whether they go on to win the tournament or not, Sreesanth certainly believes that Men in Blue have what it takes to reach the summit clash, where he expects a third India vs Australia final in as many ICC events over the last one year (fourth, if taking the U-19 World Cup into consideration as well).
“The final two I would love to see India versus Australia. Final four, no idea, man. The way the game is going. My final four used to be India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand. But the way New Zealand and Pakistan has played, it’s very shocking. But New Zealand still has got an opportunity. I will still go with New Zealand, India, Australia, and maybe the dark horse is Afghanistan. The way they’re playing is unbelievable,” Sreesanth signed off.
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