Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan said that Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal should feature for India in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. Irfan Pathan stated that Rinku Singh will not make it into India’s playing XI unless Virat Kohli opens the innings along with Rohit Sharma.
As the 2024 T20 World Cup approaches, the BCCI is expected to announce the squad by May 1. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is unlikely to make any significant changes, with players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rinku Singh and Jasprit Bumrah expected to retain their positions.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were missing from T20I cricket for the entirety of 2023. The experienced batting duo returned for a series against Afghanistan earlier this year. Rohit scored a brilliant century after two consecutive ducks in the series. Virat managed to score 29 runs in the two matches.
Kohli is the top run-scorer in T20Is, scoring 4,037 runs at an average of 51.76. He also holds the record for most runs in the T20 World Cup with 1,141 runs. Rohit is second in most T20I runs with 3,974 runs. Rohit is the fourth highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup with 963 runs.
The Indian openers should be Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma – Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan stated on Star Sports Press Room Show that Rinku Singh’s chances in the starting XI depend on Virat Kohli’s batting position. Pathan explained that if Kohli opens the innings, players like Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh could make it into the playing eleven.
“Look, in my opinion, the Indian openers should be Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma, just because of the combination of right-handed and left-handed. Don’t forget that Yashasvi Jaiswal’s international strike rate is 160 and that’s what you need. “You need that firepower when Virat opens the batting power, which makes the combination of 11 possible in a certain way that you want.” Pathan said.
“If that happens, you might see Shivam Dube playing if he is in the squad. You might also see people like Rinku Singh in the playing XI. But if Virat bats at number three, that might not happen. So that’s a big challenge,” he added.
Virat Kohli has opened just nine times in T20Is, scoring 400 runs at a strike rate of 161.29. Kohli opened the innings with Rohit in a T20I against England in 2021. Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open the innings in the World Cup. However, Jaiswal could miss out if Kohli takes over the opening role.
Rinku Singh’s breakthrough came in IPL 2023, where he scored 474 runs in 14 games at an average of 59.25. He has scored 356 runs in 15 T20Is at an average of 89.00 and a strike rate of 176.24. Rinku is considered one of the top candidates for selection in the Indian squad.
Also Read: T20 World Cup 2024: Yuvraj Singh wants the end of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20Is