Asia Cup 2018: Sunil Gavaskar terms Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan as the 'most destructive opening pair'

Gavaskar also said that India is favorite to win Asia Cup 2018.

Sunil Gavaskar | GETTY

Indian opener Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are one of the most destructive opening pairs in cricket world currently, opines India's former opener Sunil Gavaskar. Both the openers succeded in giving India good start in the ongoing Asia Cup and that has pleased Gavaskar till now.

Talking more about the tournament, Sunil Gavaskar believes it's India who is dominating the six-nation event and looking firm favorites to win the title.

"India are on cruise control in the Asia Cup. Though they were stretched in the first game against unfancied Hong Kong, they upped their efforts and through their bowlers’ splendid efforts are now finding themselves with small targets to chase. There has been no respite for the opposition from India’s pacers, who have kept such a tight line and length that it’s been virtually impossible for the batsmen to break free. Then the spinners come on, while the batsmen get the odd big hit but get tempted for another one and are gone.

"He also has a point to prove for his omission from the Test team and is doing it in his own classy style. There are few better sights in cricket than Rohit Sharma in full flow. Along with Shikhar Dhawan, they make the most exciting and destructive opening pair in the world. Both complement each other and take the pressure off each other. Rayudu is shaping up well at number three and at four India have rotated between Dinesh Karthik and Dhoni," Gavaskar wrote in his column for TOI.

Rohit and Dhawan have the second most number of partnership runs among the current set of players. Since 2011, they have added 3681 runs together till now, only second to Virat Kohli-Rohit partnership runs. Virat and Rohit have added only four runs more, which is 3685 runs.

The highest partnership runs in a career is between Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar; 8227 runs in ODI. 

Gavaskar spoke about the contribution from Kedar Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja in last two games.

"Then there’s Kedar Jadhav, who with his various delivery points creates confusion as the batsmen try to line him up. To add to this attack there’s now Ravindra Jadeja, who has a point to prove to the selectors that he has what it takes to provide the team flexibility. The skipper Rohit Sharma has been canny enough to realize that on these surfaces the slower bowlers will be far more effective than the quicker ones and so has used them smartly," added Gavaskar.

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 23 Sep, 2018

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