The Board of Control for Cricket in India has already announced the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, starting June 1. The focus has now completely shifted to what could be India's best playing XI out of the selected players for the event in UAE and West Indies. While Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Rohit Sharma have been India's designated openers, Virat Kohli's sensational form batting at number 1 spot for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2024 must have given the team management a healthy headache.
Kohli is among the top-scorers in the ongoing IPL season with the help of sensational batting display. Such is Kohli's form that Australia great Matthew Hayden wants him to open the innings for India in T20 World Cup by replacing Rohit Sharma. While speaking to Star Sports as quoted by News 18, Hayden opined that the duo of Kohli and Jaiswal should form India's opening pair.
"If you have to make a change in that combination, I would be very happy if you would tell me if I could open with Kohli and Jaiswal, I would have said absolutely yes," said Hayden.
For Rohit, who is the designated opener of the team, Hayden chose the number 4 spot instead.
"Then I would slot Suryakumar Yadav at 3 and Rohit at No.4. And that top four, in my opinion, is the right combination. The reason I say that is Virat is a master of the first six. And once the power hitting comes into play, there are other great options including Rohit. Look at his figures at No. 4, they are superb. Those are better than his opening numbers," Hayden added.
India start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 with a match against Ireland. After this, the Rohit-led side will face arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-octane encounter on June 9. India will then take on USA on June 12 before facing Canada on June 15 for their last group stage match.