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Team India will mainly bank on veteran players like skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup 2024 to be held in USA and West Indies. However, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that loading the side with seniors has not worked in the past. As per the former batter, much younger players should have been picked in the Indian squad for the marquee event.
Manjrekar is of the opinion that the Men in Blue have no other option but to pair Rohit Sharma with Virat Kohli for opening slot. However, he would have preferred to add the flavour of young and talented Yashaswi Jaiswal.
Veteran batters Rohit and Kohli did not feature in much of the T20 assignments for India last year. However, they returned to the fold as selectors showed faith in the seasoned campaigners.
“Ideally, I would not have gone that way. I would have stuck with a slightly younger kind of, core set of players but the selectors have committed themselves to the icons, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli,” said Manjrekar.
“Now that they are in the squad, it’s impossible to have Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 because then you don’t get the full rally of Virat. Rohit Sharma has to open, so now, India in a way have forced themselves to have only one kind of combination — two right-handers,” he further said.
“Unfortunately, Jaiswal will have to sit out. I would have gone completely with a new lot (and) then he would have had a lot more flair and it would be something different. But India have trusted the seniors a move that hasn’t worked over the years let’s hope it works this time,” he added.
