Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja has opined that Virat Kohli should open for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. This comes after BCCI announced the India squad for the ICC event which will be played in the USA and the West Indies from June 1-29.
India has been placed in Group A along with Ireland, Canada, co-hosts USA and Pakistan. India will play their opening match against Ireland on June 5 and then will face Pakistan on June 9.
Ajay Jadeja feels that India captain Rohit Sharma needs to push himself to the number three spot and elevate Virat Kohli to the opening slot.
"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,” Jadeja said on JioCinema.
Jadeja supported the inclusion of a currently off-color Hardik Pandya in the team, calling him special.
"The spotlight is on him for obvious reasons. He's a special player, a rare commodity you find in our country where somebody bowls seam-up and can make it to the side with his batting. The selection has not been on form, there's no doubt about it. It depends on how you want to play. It's one of the things I look at this team and think they don't have many options.
You have established players in the side, everybody is so solid with the numbers that they play at, and what stage they play. It will all depend on what Rohit thinks," Jadeja said.
(PTI inputs)
