Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has proposed a significant change in India’s batting order for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Jadeja suggests that Virat Kohli should open the innings, while Rohit Sharma, the current skipper, should bat at number three.
Ajay Jadeja backs Virat Kohli as opener for T20 WC
Jadeja’s suggestion is based on the premise that opening with Kohli would provide consistency at the top of the order. Kohli, who opens for his IPL team RCB, has had tremendous success in this position. In the ongoing IPL 2024, he is the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament, with 500 runs from ten innings at an average of 71.42 and a strike rate of 147.49.
On the other hand, Jadeja believes that Sharma batting at number three would give him a little cushion and help him understand the game better. As a captain, Sharma has a lot on his mind, and this change in batting order could potentially ease some pressure.
“For me, Virat Kohli opens. Who goes back? Rohit Sharma bats at three. He gets a little cushion and gets to understand the game, he has so much going on, in his mind as a captain. If you have Virat in your side, you know consistency is the one thing you will get, so, might as well use him. He’s best at the top and the powerplay allows him to settle in. When there’s 20-30 on the board and then spin comes on, as he stays longer, he gets better. My pick has always been that if Virat is in this squad, he should open,” Jadeja said.
Ajay Jadeja " Virat Kohli should open.If you have Virat on your side,you know consistency is the one thing you will get,so let's use it.He's best at the top & the powerplay allows him to settle in.Rohit Sharma should bat at no 3,he will get extra cushion"pic.twitter.com/QcYnTAcclD
— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) May 3, 2024
Jadeja’s proposal is indeed intriguing and could bring a fresh dynamic to the Indian team’s strategy. Kohli’s consistency and Sharma’s versatility could be well-utilized in this new batting order. However, it remains to be seen how the team management and the players themselves respond to this suggestion.
It’s worth noting that Kohli has opened nine times in T20Is so far and scored 400 runs at an average of 57.14 and a strike rate of 161.29, with one hundred and two fifties to his name. This statistic further strengthens Jadeja’s argument for Kohli as an opener.
