Former Indian cricket team wicket-keeper Saba Karim believes that Virat Kohli should not open the batting with Rohit Sharma in the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan. India defeated Afghanistan in the first T20I encounter in Mohali on Thursday but Kohli did not play the game due to 'personal reasons'. However, the star batter will be back for the second game and there were rumours that he can become Rohit's opening partner. Saba said that India will need Kohli to play a crucial role at No. 3 in the T20 World Cup and considering the pitches in West Indies, Kohli should stick to his familiar role.
"Virat Kohli will come in and there is a strong possibility that he will open the batting with Rohit Sharma. I am looking at Virat Kohli at No. 3. Keeping in mind that the World Cup is to be played in West Indies and USA, India will be playing on slow wickets. You need someone who can control the entire innings and I think Rohit Sharma is backing Virat Kohli to play that role. Come at No. 3 and control the innings, remain an anchor right till the end - be it setting a target or chasing. Once Virat Kohli is back, I would like to see him at No. 3," he said in the post-match analysis on Star Sports.
India's fringe players, led by Shivam Dube, made the opportunity count to set up a six-wicket win.
A lively 68-run partnership off 43 balls between the seasoned Mohammad Nabi (42 off 27) and youthful Azmatullah Omarzai (29 off 22) lifted Afghanistan to 158 for five after India dominated the powerplay.
The total posted was not enough in good batting conditions as India got home comfortably in 17.3 overs.
Dube, playing his first T20 since the Asian Games, and Tilak Varma (26 off 22) shared a 44-run stand off 29 balls to give Indian innings momentum after losing the openers inside four overs.
Rohit Sharma (0), returning to T20s after 14 months, and Shubman Gill (23) got involved in an avoidable mix-up that limited the Indian skipper's stay to just two balls. The usually calm and cool Rohit did not hide his anger on this occasion as Gill did not pay heed to his call for a quick single.
Gill was not able to stay for long but Varma and Dube were able to take the innings forward and India did not look back from there on.
Dube, who is seen as a back up to injury prone Hardik Pandya, used his long levers efficiently and his disdainful drives on the off side stood out. He ended the game in style with a straight six and four in the fine leg region.
Jitesh Sharma (31 off 20) also gave a good account of himself before Rinku Singh (16 not out off 9) joined Dube in the middle and took the team home.
(With PTI inputs)