"Yashasvi Jaiswal should've opened with Rohit Sharma…" Navjot Singh Sidhu explains why he doesn't want Virat Kohli to open

Navjot Singh Sidhu reckons Jaiswal should play in India’s matches in the West Indies.

Veteran commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu is of the opinion that Yashasvi Jaiswal should have been paired at the top with Rohit Sharma, with Virat Kohli coming in at number 3 for India at ICC T20 World Cup 2024. During India’s opening game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Rohit and Kohli opened for India against Ireland; this was only the second time that these two senior men have opened together in T20Is.

While Rohit struck a half-century before retiring out, Kohli was dismissed for one run as he attempted an aggressive shot.

Jaiswal, who until the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season was believed to be the front-runner to open along with Rohit in the T20 World Cup, was on the bench in the warm-up game against Bangaldesh and then in first group stage match against Ireland. He managed only two fifty-plus scores during the IPL season and was out of touch by the end of it. On the other hand, Kohli bagged the Orange Cap.

India have made this move to accommodate Shivam Dube in the playing XI because of Dube’s heroics with the bat in the middle overs in the last two IPL seasons.

“Ideally the scenario should have been of the left-right combination”: Navjot Singh Sidhu

Speaking on Star Sports, Navjot Singh Sidhu said the left-right opening duo of Rohit-Jaiswal would have been ideal. But the former opener admitted that the conditions in New York demanded the experienced hand of Kohli at the top, plus it allowed India to play Dube and Axar.

“Ideally the scenario should have been of the left-right combination, Yashasvi Jaiswal should have opened with Rohit Sharma and Virat to come at number 3 from my point of view. But from a team’s perspective, they have changed the combination because then Shivam Dube and Axar Patel wouldn’t have got the opportunity to play, so they have made this combination for a correct composition where Axar Patel is batting at no. 8, especially in this pitch where bowlers have an advantage,” Sidhu said.

Sidhu also reckoned when India play their games in the West Indies, Jaiswal should come into the fray.

“If the tournament would have opened in West Indies, then we would have seen Rohit and Yashasvi opening the match, there you wouldn’t have needed the 6th or the 7th bowler. So from this perspective, the combination of Rohit and Virat is important as they both are experienced players and they understand that 1st 6 overs are important and they can gain runs after that. You can’t expect 200 runs in this pitch, 130 or 140 runs would be good, and this combination will work,” he added.

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