Aakash Chopra, the former India opener, has emphasized the need for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to return to form with the bat for India in their upcoming T20 World Cup Super 8 clash against Bangladesh. The two Asian teams will face off on June 22 in North Sound, Antigua, and Chopra believes that the opening duo’s struggles could be a major concern for the team.
Rohit has managed a total of 76 runs in four innings at an average of 25.33, with an unbeaten 52 against Ireland being his only notable score. Kohli, on the other hand, has only managed 29 runs at a dismal average of 7.25. Chopra pointed out that Rohit’s struggles against left-arm pace, particularly against Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, need to be addressed before the knockout matches.
Rohit Sharma (Via Rohit Sharma/Twitter)
The former India opener believes that Rohit needs to be back among the runs before the knockout stages, particularly against opponents like England, who may exploit his weakness with Sam Curran using the new ball. Chopra noted that India’s decision to open with their two most experienced players has not yielded the desired results so far.
Chopra also expressed concerns about Virat Kohli’s underwhelming numbers in the tournament, stating that he is a much better player than his current form suggests. He added that Kohli’s struggles are not limited to his recent innings, as he has been out of form for some time. Chopra believes that Kohli needs to score runs to get back to his usual standards.
However, Chopra does not see India changing their opening combination and expects Rohit and Kohli to continue opening, with the in-form Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav following them in the batting order. It remains to be seen whether Rohit and Kohli can deliver against Bangladesh and turn things around for India’s T20 World Cup campaign.
