Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma opening pair to be broken vs Australia? Indian team management issues an official statement

Team India's bowling coach Paras Mhambrey feels that both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are in great form ahead of Super 8 clash against Australia.

The bitter rivals are all set to locks horns tonight for the first time in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in USA and West Indies. It will be their 3rd meeting at an ICC event since June 2023. Exactly one year ago, the Aussies had met the Indians in the finale of the second World Test Championship edition in England wherein the Baggy Greens had won by over 200-runs.

Can India get their revenge?

Then a few months later on November, India once again met Australia in the ODI World Cup final and once again lost to Pat Cummins' side. In what could have been a year where Rohit Sharma could have become the one of greatest Indian captains, he ended up with nothing, in terms of ICC trophies.

The only notable trophy that India had lifted was the 50-over Asia Cup prior to the Cricket World Cup on home soil. Later today, Rohit Sharma and co. have got a real chance to eliminate Australia from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 by ensuring a win and 2 points. Mitchell Marsh's side are coming at the back of a loss against Afghanistan in their previous Super 8 game.

That loss denied the Aussies 2 points and another loss in tonight's game against India will see them get knocked out of the T20 WC 2024. There are also going to be some mouth-watering individual match-ups between Virat Kohli-Pat Cummins, Rohit Sharma-Mitchell Starc and Travis Head-Jasprit Bumrah.

In the Indian camp, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma who are operating together as openers for the first time in an ICC event. Both of them have shown an aggressive intent but are yet to play out a big knock in the WC but India's bowling coach Paras Mhambrey feels they are in a good touch.

What did Paras Mhambrey say?

While speaking to media reporters recently, Paras Mhambrey spoke about the form and intent of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Mhambrey feels that both of the Indian openers are in great form with Virat showing that in IPL 2024 and Rohit making it clear against Bangladesh.

Paras Mhambrey claimed that one of the two batters will have to play risk-filled shots while the other should be playing the supporting role. With Rohit Sharma playing his natural game, Mhambrey admitted that the team management is happy with Virat Kohli's intent.

"I think Virat has been – in the past, we’ve seen from the IPL itself and Rohit from the World Cup. I think both of them in great form. I think every game there is a certain plan that you go in with. Sometimes some individual has to take a chance, the other has to play a defending role."

"So, I think that’s going to happen out here, that’s what is happening. Rohit is playing his natural game. The intent that Virat has shown, I think that’s good to see that, good to see that intent." - Paras Mhambrey said.