Earlier this month, Virat Kohli smashed his maiden T20I ton while opening the innings in India’s last Asia Cup 2022 Super-4 clash against Afghanistan. Since then, there is a debate going around his batting position in the shortest format of the game.
Many experts have opined that the Men in Blue can consider Kohli as an opener for the T20 World Cup 2022 in place of KL Rahul, who hasn’t found his old rhythm back after returning to the team post surgery for sports hernia.
Sharing his two cents on the same, former India head coach Ravi Shastri slammed such discussions, saying that it can only affect Rahul's mentality and preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.
“I wouldn't want that. I would want Rahul and Rohit. Only if there is emergency or there is injury then it is fine otherwise I feel that you need that depth in the lower middle order and the experience especially in the Australian conditions where as a fast bowler you cab get wickets in the middle over. There is enough bounce there and you can be aggressive and you can try and hustle out batters in those middle overs. So you know the experience of Kohli out there will be very important,” Shastri said while speaking on Star Sports during the second T20I between India and Australia in Nagpur.
“And Rahul is batting beautifully at the top. Why cloud his imagination? Why confuse him? Why sow a seed in his mind that he might not be opening? You don't want that. You don't want that guy to have clarity of thought absolutely clear in his mindset that he is going to open and he is going to score and score big,” he added.
Before the start of the ongoing T20I series against Australia, India skipper Rohit Sharma has hinted that Virat Kohli will be the third opener during the World Cup.
"It is always nice to have options available for you. It is important going into a World Cup that you have flexibility. You want the players to be in best shape batting at any position. When we try and do something new, that does not mean that's a problem.
"For us, we understand the quality of all our players and what they bring for us. But yeah, it is an option (Virat Kohli opening) for us, we will always keep that in mind. Since we have not taken a third opener, he opens for his franchise in the IPL and he has done really well, so it is a definite option for us," Rohit had said ahead of the first T20I in Mohali.
