IND vs WI: 2022 has seen a lot of experimentation and changes in the Indian team. The management hasn’t stepped back, even in using different captains for different series. As many as seven players have led the Indian side in 2022. On the other hand, changes in the batting order are also a common sight nowadays in the Indian batting lineup. And in one recent example, we saw in the first T20I against West Indies on Friday, when Suryakumar Yadav came out to open the innings with Rohit Sharma.
Rohit has had different partners in T20Is this year. With the exclusion of KL Rahul due to injury, the team has tried Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, and SKY as openers. But the big question is whether the team will stick with these threes or not.Pant recently opened the innings against England in T20Is.
However, his numbers are hard to believe. He registered scores of 26 and 1 in two T20Is. Kishan, who opened in the home series against South Africa, registered two fifties, but got dismissed cheaply in the first T20 against England at Southampton. Speaking of Suryakumar, he batted decently and scored 24 runs with three fours and one six.
WI vs IND: “I am not saying Pant cannot play the new ball”- Former Indian All-rounder
Former Indian all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi feels that Pant should not be Rohit’s opening partner. However, he also said that the 24-year-old is a better middle-order batter for the team. In a discussion on India News, he said that India needs Pant in a crunch situation, where he can target both spinners and fast bowlers. That is where the team can utilize him more. Sodhi added,
“I am not in favor of Rishabh Pant, opening. He is India’s pivotal player. India need him when the game gets tight in the 15th-16th over. I am not saying Pant cannot play the new ball, but India have better options for the top order. Ishan Kishan must open in all the four remaining games.”
The former Indian all-rounder believes that Ishan Kishan could be an ideal partner for Rohit as an opener. The wicket-keeper batsman also opens with the Indian skipper for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. So far, he has played in 16 innings, scoring 508 runs at the top, including four fifties in his international career. India will now face off against the Caribbean team on Monday, August 1 at Warner Park in St. Kitts for the second T20 match. India will look to win the game and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
FAQ
Who will open in T20 World Cup with Rohit Sharma?
KL Rahul is the first-choice opener. He will open with Rohit in the World Cup. But if he will injured so we might see Ishan Kishan
Where should Rishabh Pant bat in the batting order?
Rishabh Pant can be tried as an opener in white-ball cricket. But with the T20 World Cup coming up, India can’t experiment a lot.
Why is Rishabh Pant not opening in T20 for India?
Rishabh Pant is the best batsman at No. 4 or 5. But yes, he can open the innings as well because India has a lot of options in the middle order.
Will Rohit Sharma open with Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup?
There is a possibility that Virat Kohli might open with Rohit Sharma if KL Rahul gets injured. But India has a few back-up openers in the team that can open with Rohit.