Published: Mar 21, 2021, 12:51 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 21, 2021, 03:04 PM (IST)
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that KL Rahul’s rough patch has been a blessing in disguise for India as it gave Virat Kohli an opportunity to open the innings in the final T20I against England.
Kohli opened the innings alongside Rohit and stitched a 94-run stand to laid the foundation of an emphatic 3-2 series win.
Gavaskar claims that the best batsman on the team should bat the most number of overs in limited-overs cricket.
“Your best batsman should bat the most number of overs in limited-overs cricket. So it was very important for Virat Kohli to bat at the top of the order. So maybe, KL Rahul’s loss of form has been a blessing in disguise because this has given us an opening combination to look forward to,” Gavaskar told India Today.
The veteran cricketer further compared the situation with the past and said it was the same with legendary Sachin Tendulkar who was sent to open the innings after starting the career as a middle-order batsman.
“Like when Sachin Tendulkar was batting down the order in ODIs and then he was sent up to open the batting and what a transformation it had not just on his batting but the whole team. So clearly, your best batsman has to bat as many overs as they can,” he further said.
Kohli slammed unbeaten 80 runs in the fifth T20I as he held one end of the Indian innings to take them to a mammoth 224/2 in 20 overs.
Gavaskar wants India to persist with the Kohli-Rohit opening pair as it will become easier for the other players in the middle order.
“I would persist with this opening formula. Look at the way they fed off each other. You could see the interaction between the two of them, whenever each of them got the big shot going,” said Gavaskar.
“When that happens, when two leaders of the team show the way, it becomes easier for the guys coming down the order. With Suryakumar Yadav, in India colours and playing those cameos, it’s really good,” Gavaskar added.
