Senior opener and white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma said India will open with him and Virat Kohli in T20Is if the team feels it is the right move going forward. Rohit and Kohli opened for the first time for Team India in T20Is during the series decider against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
The duo didn’t disappoint in their maiden outing as a pair and helped India attain a comfortable 36-run win in the series-decider to clinch the five-match rubber 3-2. Both Kohli and Rohit went on to notch up a half-century apiece to propel India to a huge total of 224 runs in 20 overs. While Rohit scored a quickfire 64 off 34 balls, Kohli slammed an unbeaten 80 off 52 deliveries.
Rohit said he will be opening with Kohli in T20Is if the team management feels it is the right thing to do ahead of the World Cup this year. India already have Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul in contention for the second opening slot and Kohli’s arrival has once again twisted the dynamics for the team.
“It was good for us to win the game with that batting order. Everything will depend on what the captain is thinking at that particular point in time. I am sure we need to sit and analyse and collect our thoughts on what would be the right thing for the team. If that means he has to open with me, so be it, if we feel that is right as a team we will go ahead with that,” Rohit was quoted as saying by ANI in the virtual presser after the 5th T20I on Saturday.
“We are not concerned with what is happening outside, the talks that are taking place outside, and what people are thinking about who should play and who shouldn’t, that doesn’t matter to us. Getting the right players as in somebody who is in good form, giving him an opportunity, those are the things that really matter and we will be focusing on that, come the World Cup. But as I said, World Cup is too far ahead, we just finished the T20I series. I don’t think Virat will open in the ODI series so let’s talk about what is next for us and try and move from this wonderful series we played as a team,” he added.
