Former Indian cricketer and ex-BCCI President Sourav Ganguly backed Virat Kohli to open for the Indian cricket team along with Rohit Sharma in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, which is scheduled for June. Ganguly shared his thoughts during a media interaction organized by Delhi Capitals, where he is serving as the mentor.
As the selectors are busy finalizing the squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, which will be announced in just over a week, Ganguly shared his perspective on the ideal batting combination for the team
Sourav Ganguly Backs Virat Kohli To Open With Rohit Sharma In T20 World Cup 2024
Ganguly suggested on Monday that Virat Kohli can score a century in just 40 balls, similar to Travis Head. Ganguly backed Kohli to partner with India’s captain Rohit Sharma as the opening pair in the upcoming T20 World Cup in America.
Despite facing criticism for his strike rate, especially after his 100 off 67 balls against the Rajasthan Royals, Ganguly believes Kohli’s ability to accelerate quickly could be valuable for India at the top of the order.
Ganguly said during a media interaction, “Virat Kohli has got the capability of getting a 40-ball 100 also. As I said at the start, India, with the talent they have, you just need to go and hit. Mindset should be to hit and then we’ll see what happens after 5-6 overs.”
While expressing his preference for the Kohli-Rohit opening combination, Sourav Ganguly emphasized the importance of the selection committee, coach Rahul Dravid, and skipper Rohit Sharma making decisions in the best interests of the team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
“If you ask me and it’s just my personal opinion and I’m not saying that the selectors should do it, because at the end of the day, it’s their call, Rohit and Virat should open,” Ganguly went on to say.
Ganguly referenced MS Dhoni to counter the idea that T20 cricket is solely for the youth, highlighting that experience also holds value in the format. He also clarified why he didn’t initially partake in the T20 event in 2007. He said:
“We (Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly ) did not decide it. It’s nothing about young and old. It’s about how good you are. And that is important. There is no hard and fast rule for anything. The only hard and fast rule is talent, ability and performance. That is it. You look at MS Dhoni. He bats for two overs and hits four sixes. I would want him to bat more but just see how good he is.”
Given the increasing scoring rates in T20 cricket and the emergence of young Indian talents adept at meeting the format’s evolving demands, some argue that India should field a younger squad, akin to their 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team.
Following Ganguly’s tenure as BCCI president, India’s loss to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinals in Australia drew criticism for their conservative batting approach. This sparked discussions about the necessity of adapting India’s style of play to the modern T20 landscape.
