Asia Cup 2022: Virat Kohli Should Open With Rohit Sharma: Parthiv Patel

Parthiv Patel, a former Indian wicketkeeper, thinks that KL Rahul could have to be benched if Team India wants to field both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik at the Asia Cup 2022.

Despite returning from a protracted injury layoff, Rahul has been selected as India’s vice-captain for the event.

In his absence, a number of players, including Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shreyas Iyer, have started the innings.

Yadav and Hardik Pandya, in Patel’s opinion, are simply impossible to drop. Due to the fact that there is only one open position in the middle order, Pant and Karthik are evenly matched. Patel believes that the best way to resolve this issue is for the team to drop Rahul and instead have Virat Kohli begin the batting with captain Rohit Sharma.

Rishabh Pant Needs To Play At 4 Because He A Left-Hander: Parthiv Patel

In a YouTube video he posted he explained why Pant should play in the XI:

“If all three of Rohit, Virat and Rahul play, then only one among Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant can play. So I feel Virat should open with Rohit. Suryakumar Yadav at No. 3, Rishabh Pant at 4, which I think is necessary because he is a left-hander.”

“I am surprised by the exclusion of Mohammad Shami and am doubting whether he is in India’s T20 plans at all. If Dinesh Karthik made a comeback due to his form in the IPL, then even Shami should have been given an opportunity. He played an outstanding role in Gujarat Titans’ title win”, he further added commenting on Shami’s exclusion from the side.

India will face Pakistan in their first match in the Asia Cup.

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