Virat Kohli demoted as Yashasvi Jaiswal gets slotted in along with Rohit Sharma to open for India

Former England captain Michael Vaughan questioned India's batting order strategy in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He has particularly expressed disagreement with Team India's decision to open with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the showpiece event in the USA and Caribbean.

Vaughan suggested that he would prefer young talent Yashaswi Jaiswal to open the innings for the Indian cricket team instead of Kohli in the ongoing T20 World Cup in 2024. He emphasized Jaiswal's exceptional batting prowess and described him as a "free spirit" who could significantly strengthen India's top order in the mega ICC event.

Michael Vaughan criticizes India's opening strategy in T20 World Cup 2024

The cricket pandit further expressed his admiration for Jaiswal's batting prowess while advocating strongly for the young talent to open alongside Rohit for the Men in Blue in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. He wants Kohli to bat at number three in the batting order.

However, the former England captain mentioned that if not Virat Kohli, then Rohit can also push himself down in the batting order to let Yashasvi open with the former Indian skipper in the tournament. Furthermore, Vaughan criticized Shivam Dube's placement at number five, saying Rishabh Pant is more dangerous in that middle-order position for the Men in Blue.

Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz Live: “Oh, that's a good question. I love Yashaswi Jaiswal. I just think I'd want him to be opening the bag. I'd put Virat at number three, yeah. Or Rohit. I'm not too bothered about which right-hander goes to number three. I know Shivam Dube's obviously in at number five. They're waiting for the spinners, probably in the Caribbean. But I would have had Rishabh Pant at number five.”

Yashasvi Jaiswal should come in for Shivam Dube: Michael Vaughan

Well, Vaughan did not hesitate a bit while suggesting Dube should make way for the dynamic left-hander in India’s XI at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The well-known cricket commentator praised Jaiswal as an exceptional talent, saying he can shape India’s performance in the ongoing tournament, where Men in Blue already qualified for the Super-8 round.

On being asked who would drop to bring in Yashasvi, Vaughan said: “Shivam Dube. I just think Yashaswi, I'm not saying one in a generation, but he's an incredible player. He's such a good batter and he's a free spirit. I would want him on my team.”

Vaughan also noted that Team India has always made a mistake by not picking the more left-handers in the team for the ICC events, but this time they corrected their mistake, and he was happy with this change.

However, despite hailing India’s team selection, Vaughan reiterated his preference for Jaiswal's inclusion based on his potential impact and ability to add dynamics to the national team.

He signed off by saying, “I like the fact they've gone with left-handers. I thought that was a big mistake for India over the course of a T20 kind of white-ball team that didn't have enough left-handers. So, I can kind of understand where they're going with that. But I would want Yashaswi in my team.”