India's T20 World Cup Opening Combination Remains a Mystery

India's T20 World Cup Opening Combination Remains a Mystery

Ahead of India's T20 World Cup opener against Ireland on June 5, head coach Rahul Dravid has remained tight-lipped about the team's opening combination. While Rohit Sharma is expected to partner with Virat Kohli at the top of the order, there is speculation that Yashasvi Jaiswal could also be an option.

"We've got options, so we are obviously not going to reveal our cards just yet," Dravid said. "We have Rohit and Jaiswal, and Virat opened in the IPL as well."

The playing surface at the Nassau County ground has drawn attention due to its inconsistent bounce and sluggish outfield. However, Dravid refused to complain about the pitch conditions.

"We had three practice sessions here. From the third session onwards, the wicket became better," Dravid said. "But a wicket is a wicket. We don't want to label it as bad or good. It is a wicket and you have to manage and you have to adjust to it."

Dravid emphasized that his squad will focus on adapting their game to suit the current state of the ground. "We will not complain about the wicket," he said. "A score of 200 was considered a par in the recently concluded IPL, but here at this venue, it appears to be more than just a par score; it seems like a winning score."

"As we talk about T20 cricket, maybe we won't be able to play like that in this tournament," Dravid added. "Maybe in this venue. We will hopefully play in many venues. So, it will be different there. So, it will be important to adapt."

Dravid also defended the performance of the players in recent ICC events, acknowledging the team's efforts despite falling short at crucial moments. "To be very honest with you, I think we've actually played really well in these World Cup tournaments," Dravid said. "In terms of our consistency, we've been very consistent."

"Yes, we probably haven't been able to get across the line in the knockout game," Dravid admitted. "So, we just probably haven't been able to execute in that last phase. So, hopefully we play good cricket to get ourselves into those positions again and then maybe play good cricket on the day to cross the line."

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #India, #RohitSharma, #ViratKohli, #YashasviJaiswal