IND vs IRE, T20 World Cup 2024: Virat Kohli set to open with Rohit Sharma for India

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Virat Kohli is set to open the batting for India along with captain Rohit Sharma in the T20 World Cup 2024.

As India takes on Ireland in the first match of the campaign on Wednesday (June 5), MyKhel understands that Kohli will be coming out to take the new ball along with Rohit Sharma.

There have been a lot of debates over the opening combination for Team India, with experts divided on opinions. Some advised a left-right combination with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, while others have voiced for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma pair.

Sources close to the Indian cricket team told myKhel that Kohli, who had a stellar IPL 2024 season prior to this tournament, will be opening for India along with Rohit. Kohli scored 741 runs and won the Orange Cap in the recently concluded IPL last month. He achieved this feat in 15 matches as an opener. The report was also confirmed by senior journalist Indranil Basu, who runs the website Cricblogger.

The management believes Kohli is the right choice to open given his recent performance. Earlier discussions considered a left-right combination throughout the Indian innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal was initially in talks to open with Rohit.

However, the team zeroed in on Kohli due to his ability to score runs in the power play, which he demonstrated abundantly in this year's IPL. Although the strike rate issue of Kohli against the spinners did rise during IPL, the veteran batter shushed the critics with his brilliant demonstration of hitting against the spinners as well.

Kohli has tried to open the innings in the previous two T20 World Cups as both a captain and player. However, the presence of KL Rahul made it impossible for Kohli to open as Rahul was considered more of an opener.

As the opportunity comes for the 35-year-old, it is to be seen how India can consolidate on that against Ireland. The match will be played at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium, which will also see India clashing against arch-rivals Pakistan in the flagship encounter on June 9.