T20 World Cup 2024: Who will open batting for India?

India will play their first match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 against Ireland on June 5. Then the Men in Blue will lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan.

Meanwhile, fans and experts are intrigued by the question that who will open the batting for India.

India’s warm-up game against Bangladesh hinted at a different opening combination, with Sanju Samson partnering skipper Rohit Sharma due to star batter Virat Kohli’s late arrival in the United States. While Rohit clarified that the team composition is not finalized, the absence of Jaiswal from the opening slot indicates that he might not be the preferred choice for the marquee event.

In response to the development, former India great Sunil Gavaskar emphasized Kohli’s exceptional form and suggested that his place as an opener alongside Sharma is justified, considering his recent performances. Regarding Jaiswal, Gavaskar noted a decline in his form compared to previous outings. 

“The kind of form Virat Kohli has been in, especially in the second half of the season, he should open with Rohit Sharma. Good players are good players, the kind of form Kohli has shown in the IPL, he has to open the batting. It’s good to talk about the left-hand, right-hand combination on television, but good players are good players no matter where they bat,” said Gavaskar during a recent interaction.

“Yashasvi Jaiswal hasn’t been in the sort of form we saw him in during the Test series. The left-hander will compete with Virat for the second opener’s spot,” the legendry batsman added.