Kohli, Rohit should open now if this template is to be followed in T20 WC: Chopra

Listen to Story Former India batter Aakash Chopra has said that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should start opening now if the team is to follow this template at the 2024 T20 World Cup. India is set to take on Afghanistan in the second T20I at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. India is all set to take on Afghanistan in the second T20I of their three match home series.

India beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets in Mohali to take a 1 0 lead in the series. Kohli, , will return to play the second T20I in Indore. Speaking on his Youtube channel, Chopra said Kohli scores more freely in the powerplay overs as seen in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Kohli was the top run scorer in the 2023 ODI World Cup and is set to play his first white ball match for India since their loss in the final against Australia.

“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,” said Chopra.

He went on to say that if India is to follow the template of Rohit and Kohli opening the batting, they should start it now. Kohli has opened the batting in T20Is for India on nine occasions, scoring 400 runs, while hitting a century and two fifties. “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,” Chopra added. All eyes will be on Kohli’s white ball return as India look to seal the three match T20I series against Afghanistan..