Former India captain Sourav Ganguly advocates for Rohit and Kohli to open in T20 World Cup

Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain and Indian cricket board chief, has wished for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to open India’s innings in the T20 World Cup in June.

“I feel both should and will go to the West Indies. It’s just my personal opinion and I am not saying that the selectors should do it – it’s their call at the end of the day- but I think Rohit and Virat should open,” Ganguly, the Delhi Capitals’ director of cricket, said during an interaction organised by the franchise.

The national selection panel is likely to pick India’s provisional squad for the T20 World Cup over the weekend, ahead of the May 1 deadline for squad submission.

Ganguly – during whose tenure as the BCCI chief was Rahul Dravid appointed head coach and Rohit Sharma took over as the captain across formats – hoped for the captain and the coach to devise a fearless method for playing T20 cricket. “I hope Rahul and Rohit find a method of playing T20 cricket because this group has an exceptional talent that six-hitting ability,” Ganguly said.

During IPL 2024, Rohit and Kohli’s ability to keep hitting higher gears in T20 has been questioned by a section of fans and experts. But Ganguly was confident both had the ability to deliver.

“Virat Kohli has got the capability of getting a 40-ball hundred also. India, with the talent they have just need to go and hit. Just the mindset should be to hit and then we’ll see what happens,” Ganguly said.

“We saw how Rohit Sharma battered in the 50-over World Cup. He just came and hit at the top, so we just put so much pressure on the opposition in the first seven-eight overs that it gave breathing space for the lower order. Virat and Rohit should do the same (in T20s). They are great players. Let’s do it.”