Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be tasked to give India a promising start against Afghanistan in the upcoming Super 8 fixture of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 on Thursday. After topping Group A in the US leg of the ICC event, Rohit and Co. have touched down in Barbados for the business end of the tournament in the Caribbean. Talking about the world-class batting duo of Rohit and Kohli, legendary West Indies cricketer Brian Lara feels either one of the Indian openers can drop anchor on the Caribbean pitches.
Opening the innings for India in the T20 World Cup opener against Ireland, Rohit and Kohli added only seven runs for the first wicket. While Kohli departed for one off five balls, skipper Rohit played a sublime knock of 52 off 37 balls to seal a comfortable win for the 2007 world champions. India lost Kohli for four off three balls in the blockbuster clash with Pakistan at the T20 World Cup.
Indian skipper Rohit also had a forgetful outing (13) against Babar Azam's men. In the Group A decider between India and the USA, Kohli was handed a golden duck by Saurabh Netravalkar. Skipper Rohit also extended his low-scoring run as he perished for three off six balls. Speaking to Star Sports ahead of India's next match against Afghanistan, batting legend Lara acknowledged that Kohli and Rohit are aggressive batters.
‘Kohli and Rohit are two world-class players but…’
{{/usCountry}}Indian skipper Rohit also had a forgetful outing (13) against Babar Azam's men. In the Group A decider between India and the USA, Kohli was handed a golden duck by Saurabh Netravalkar. Skipper Rohit also extended his low-scoring run as he perished for three off six balls. Speaking to Star Sports ahead of India's next match against Afghanistan, batting legend Lara acknowledged that Kohli and Rohit are aggressive batters.
‘Kohli and Rohit are two world-class players but…’
{{/usCountry}}“I think there is all sorts of possibilities. They are two very aggressive players. They're two world-class players. But sometimes, in terms of putting together a partnership in the Caribbean, you think well, you know 60-70 runs in the powerplay would be a great start. I think one could afford to drop anchor, but it all depends, you know, on match-ups. If you feel that, as a batter, that you are better equipped than the other player to do well against a bowler, then you do that. So I think it's a conversation that has to happen in the middle, and it doesn't necessarily mean that they have to go from both ends,” Lara said.
According to Lara, openers Rohit and Kohli firing on full cylinders will be key for India in the Caribbean pitches. Lara feels India will have to continue playing good cricket in the Caribbean as Rohit's men are heading to the Super 8 phase without losing a single game at the T20 World Cup. The former West Indies skipper also warned Rohit and Kohli to avoid going all guns blazing early in the innings.
'I don't feel blasting away in the Caribbean is…'
“But you know, I think psychologically they would know how important both of these players coming into form quickly is for that. So, there are different ways of going about it. I don't feel blasting away in the Caribbean is one of the things you know. You just need to think about what you're doing and put a good partnership on because you know more often than not when you're playing Afghanistan than you're thinking, When are the spinners coming? Then the contest begins,” Lara added.