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Virat Kohli and the Indian cricket team management must be feeling a lot light right now after the star batter ended his 1020-day century drought in style at the Asia Cup. Kohli 122* – the highest T20I score by an Indian – could not have come at a better time as the Rohit Sharma-led side prepares for the T20 World Cup in Australia. Kohli’s ton against Afghanistan came while he was opening the batting for India. This has led many to ponder whether Kohli, who generally bats at No. 3 in T20Is, can be used as an opener.
Gautam Gambhir, former Indian cricket team batter and 2011 World Cup winner, has reacted strongly to the suggestion.
“Only as a backup (opener). Don’t start this nonsense about him (Kohli) opening the batting. He can’t open the batting with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma (available). And I have said this on air that we shouldn’t even start this. I will always be flexible about No. 3. I will not have Virat Kohli fixed at No. 3 position. If the openers have batted till the 10th over, then it has to be Suryakumar Yadav at No.3. If an early wicket falls then Kohli,” Gambhir said on an episode of ‘GamePlan’ on Star Sports.
India start their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on October 23.
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India squad for ICC T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.
Standby players – Mohd. Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar.
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