Jaffer Backs Kohli-Rohit Opening Combo for T20 World Cup Super Eight

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer has urged the team management to retain the opening batting combination of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the Super Eight phase of the ongoing T20 World Cup. Despite their underwhelming performances in the tournament so far, Jaffer believes the experienced duo will bounce back and find their rhythm in the crucial matches ahead.

Kohli, who entered the World Cup in impressive form after a stellar IPL 2024, has struggled to make an impact, scoring only five runs in three innings. Rohit, too, has been inconsistent, accumulating 68 runs in three matches with a solitary half-century against Ireland.

However, Jaffer emphasized the importance of sticking with the experienced pair, even though they have encountered difficulties in their recent performances. He explained that altering the batting lineup could create additional issues and hinder the effectiveness of crucial players such as Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav.

"Now that you are stuck with both of them, I don't think it's gonna make sense because you're gonna split both of them up," Jaffer said. "You might probably think of playing Yashasvi Jaiswal. That's probably what you're thinking, and then Rishabh Pant, who has done so well at number three, he has to bat even lower down the order, probably at number four. Then where does Suryakumar Yadav bat? So it's going to mess up the whole batting order, so I think they'll probably stick with that."

Jaffer stressed that Pant has excelled at the number three position, while Yadav performs best when batting higher in the order. He believes that altering the batting lineup could disrupt the team's rhythm and hinder the performance of key players.

"Rishabh has done well at number three. Suryakumar, you don't want to bat him any lower than that, so I think they'll stick with that. But yeah, they have to go really hard in the powerplay. We've seen when Australia have done that against England, they were so ahead in the powerplay, getting that 74 runs. That's where you can make a mark. So Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the way they are batting, you could see that happen in the powerplay in West Indies."

India secured their spot in the Super Eight with a resounding seven-wicket victory against co-hosts USA. As they gear up for their Caribbean clash with a formidable Afghanistan side, the Men in Blue will heavily rely on the resilience and skill of Kohli and Rohit to regain their form and lead the team to success.

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