Head coach Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma have been handed the tricky task of finding the perfect combination and assigning specific roles to players as India gear up for this year's T20 World Cup, which is less than three months away. India may have found Suryakumar Yadavs and Arshdeep Singhs in the 20-over format, but the opening combination still remains a puzzle, with seven different pairs being tried this year. Also Read | India and Pakistan can face each other three times in Asia Cup 2022; Here's how
Suryakumar Yadav opened the batting alongside Rohit Sharma in the Twenty20 series opener against West Indies last week. The previous duos tried by India in 2022 are – Rohit Sharma-Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson-Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad-Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda-Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson-Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma-Rishabh Pant.
Every new combination makes one wonder if the team management is still in the process of finding the right partner for Rohit and getting a backup alternative as well. Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel believes Virat Kohli can also enter the list if he gets an opportunity at the top during the upcoming Asia Cup.
“There is no doubt about Virat Kohli’s abilities. It is just about the form, it is just about which position you want him to play. That is why the Asia Cup becomes very crucial. Not for him, just for India’s point of view also whether they get the right combination or not,” Parthiv told Cricbuzz.
Kohli, whose prolonged lean patch has led to calls of him being dropped from the shortest format, isn't a part of the ongoing West Indies assignment. The star batter has not hit a century for almost three years now, and many former players believe he should take a prolonged break to get his batting mojo back.
{{/usCountry}}Kohli, whose prolonged lean patch has led to calls of him being dropped from the shortest format, isn't a part of the ongoing West Indies assignment. The star batter has not hit a century for almost three years now, and many former players believe he should take a prolonged break to get his batting mojo back.
{{/usCountry}}Parthiv feels Kohli can replace opener KL Rahul, whose fitness still remains a huge concern. Rahul has been left out of the India squad which will travel to Zimbabwe for an ODI series next month after aggravating his hamstring injury.
“I keep saying about the combination because that would be the key. You might just see Virat Kohli open in the Asia Cup because KL Rahul is not fit, as of now. And India has tried a lot of other openers. They have tried Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav in this series,” added Parthiv.