IND vs AFG: "Virat Kohli Does That In The Powerplay" - Aakash Chopra Feels Batter Should Open In T20Is
Published - 14 Jan 2024, 10:59 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:25 AM
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that Virat Kohli should open for the national team in the second match against Afghanistan. Aakash Chopra stated that Virat Kohli typically takes his time to build innings rather than hitting boundaries from the beginning.
Virat Kohli was absent from the first T20I of the three-match series due to personal reasons. India secured a six-wicket victory in the opening match in Mohali on January 11. Kohli has rejoined the team and is expected to feature in the playing XI for the second game.
Virat Kohli Rarely Starts Hitting Boundaries From The First Ball – Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra emphasized the importance of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma opening together in the T20 World Cup 2024, particularly given the tournament venues.
“If you see the entire World Cup, Virat Kohli has a playing style and he scores a lot of runs when he follows that template. Even in T20s, he rarely starts hitting fours and sixes from the first ball. He takes his time. If he has to run at a strike rate of 150, he does that in the powerplay,” Chopra said.
“In New York or the West Indies, the pitches will be such that there will be more chances of runs getting scored in the first six overs. So ideally you want Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to be together from the start. If you have to follow that template, start it now,” he added.
The 35-year-old was at his best while opening for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League 2023. Kohli scored 639 runs in 14 games at an average of 53.25 and a strike rate of 139.82, including two centuries and six half-centuries in the tournament.
Virat Kohli hasn’t represented India in the shorter format since the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he finished as the top run-scorer. The batter holds the record as the highest run-getter in T20Is, amassing 4,008 runs in 107 innings, including a century and 37 fifties.
Don’t Want To Keep Suryakumar Yadav At No. 4 – Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra raised concerns about the batting order, stating that Suryakumar Yadav should bat at No. 3 to give him sufficient time to impact the game.
“So if Yashasvi is available, you will get him to open. However, if you get Yashasvi to open, my problem is not only about Kohli at No. 3. I don’t want to keep Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4. I want him at No. 3. Suryakumar Yadav is India’s No. 1 T20 batter. So I want him at No. 3 and I want to give him time to drive the game,” the former Indian opener further added.
India is currently leading the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan 1-0. The Rohit Sharma-led team will face Afghanistan in the second T20I match at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday, January 14.
