Former India wicket-keeping batter Parthiv Patel has backed India skipper Rohit Sharma and superstar batter Virat Kohli to open the innings in T20I cricket. India is all set to take on Afghanistan in the first T20I of their three-match series at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.
IND vs AFG, T20I series: Full coverage
India will be facing Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series at home. Rohit has returned to lead the side in the first game of the series in Mohali. Meanwhile, Kohli, who was named in the 16-member squad, will miss the first T20I due to personal reasons.
Speaking to Sports18 ahead of the first T20I, Patel said he wants Kohli and Rohit to open the batting for India in T20Is. Both Kohli and Rohit open the batting for their respective teams in the Indian Premier League.
“Virat Kohli bats brilliantly in the IPL when he opens the innings. But for thst you will have to sacrifice Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill for Virat and Rohit to open. But that suits their game. And if one of them gets set, you need someone to anchor the innings and play deep and both of them have that ability. So yes, I’d like to see both of them in the playing XI. More than that, I’d like to see both of them open,” said Patel.
India will face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series at home. India has an unblemished record against Afghanistan in the shortest format of the game, having won four of their five encounters with one ending in a no-result.
The match will see Rohit return to the lead the side, having last played a T20I match in 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England. In fact, the last time he played a white-ball match was the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup against Australia.
