T20 World Cup 2024: Irfan Pathan names specialist India batter who has been bowling in IPL 2024 nets

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T20 World Cup 2024: Backing Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the innings with Rohit Sharma at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has revealed that the youngster has also been bowling regularly in his IPL 2024 net sessions.

Irfan Pathan reckoned that Yashasvi Jaiswal should open with Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli should follow them at three. Irfan said Yashasvi and Rohit could provide India with the desired left-hand right-hand opening combination.

"See, as far as I'm concerned, Indian openers should be Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma, purely because of the right-hand and left-hand combination. Don't forget Yashasvi Jaiswal's international strike rate is 160 and you need that, you need that firepower," Irfan Pathan said about the Rajasthan Royals star on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup.

"The other thing, if Yashasvi Jaiswal is playing, what can happen as he's actually been bowling regularly in the nets. So what you can do is you can actually play proper five bowlers and maybe have him as a sixth bowler, as an option to keep it.

"Otherwise, if you look at the batting order, no one bowls. No one bowls in top six and that's the biggest challenge what we have as Indian cricket. And that's what we need to consider that as well. So for me, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma and then Virat bats at number three," he added.

Virat Kohli opening would allow Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube to feature in playing eleven: Pathan

However, Irfan Pathan added that Virat Kohli coming at three would make it difficult for the likes of Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh to feature in the India playing eleven at T20 World Cup 2024 which starts from June 2.

"If Virat opens up the batting, what happens is that it will allow the combination of 11 to be in a certain way, which you want. If that happens, you might see Shivam Dubey playing, if he's there in the squad. You might see guys like Rinku Singh in the playing 11 as well. But if Virat bats at number three, that might not happen. So that's a big challenge," Irfan Pathan stated.