Published: Dec 31, 2022, 04:59 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 31, 2022, 04:59 PM (IST)
New Delhi: Team India have seen a lot of opening pair in recent times and with the ODI World Cup knocking on the doorsteps The Men in Blue side would like to get a fixed pair to provide them a good start. KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan have not been in the best of their forms lately making the situation more crucial.
India’s former opening batter Gautam Gambhir revealed the best pick to open for Team India. He said youngster Ishan Kishan should be given more chances and should be the only player to open the innings with Rohit Sharma. Ishan Kishan smashed the fastest ODI double century in the final ODI against Bangladesh.
Gambhir said “He got that 200 by the 35th over mark? You can’t look at anyone beyond Ishan Kishan. He has to be given a longer run. He can also keep wickets as well, so he can do two jobs for you. So for me, that discussion shouldn’t be there. If someone else had got a double hundred, I think we would’ve gone gung-ho over that individual, but it’s not the case with Ishan Kishan. Because we still continue to talk about other players. For me, that debate is over.”
He even gave the layout for Team India’s top 6 in the ODIs. He said “It’s very difficult to look beyond Rohit and Ishan Kishan to open the batting, Virat at three, Surya at four, [and] Shreyas at five, because he’s been incredible in the last one-and-a-half years,” Gambhir said of his ideal India XI. “Yes, he’s had issues against the short ball, but he’s been able to manage it. You can’t be the best against everything but if you’re able to manage it and get the numbers going for you, you can’t look beyond Shreyas at No. 5 and Hardik [Pandya] at 6.”
Gambhir kept KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Shikhar Dhawan from the list. He said KL Rahul should be the backup opener and keeper.
