T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma are indispensable to Team India but their form in T20 is a big concern for head coach Rahul Dravid. The Rohit-Virat duo has averaged under 30 in IPL 2022 but former cricketers and selectors believe a change in their batting order could benefit the side. Follow IPL 2022 Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
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T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli form BIG CONCERN for coach Rahul Dravid ahead of T20 WC, experts advice change in position
While IPL is an indicator of current form but the national selection committee under Chetan Sharma at this point is not even remotely harbouring any such thoughts, at least not for the time being.
T20 World Cup: Powerplay woes of BIG 3:
Rahul is playing the role of an anchor for LSG and with 451 runs at an average of 145, he has been in a league of his own. The trio hasn’t exactly set the Powerplay (first six overs) on fire.
- In 10 games so far, Rahul has played 55 dots in Powerplay overs and has compiled a total of 141 off 126 balls in these overs across games with a strike-rate of 111.90.
- In those games in PP overs, he has hit 15 fours and four sixes.
- Rohit in this period has played 56 dots in powerplays in 9 games, scoring 136 off 104 balls at 130.76 strike-rate.
- In case of Kohli, he has batted in Powerplay in seven games and has played 16 dot balls but scored 61 runs in 55 balls during the period.
T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli form BIG CONCERN for coach Rahul Dravid ahead of T20 WC, experts advice change in position
KL Rahul in middle-order? – The numbers show that all three are taking their time in the first six overs and perhaps even all three are playing, at least one — preferably Rahul can come down the batting order and allow a bit of rejig around Rohit and Virat.
So what do the experts think about the trio’s batting order? Former chairman of selectors MSK Prasad and his colleague Devang Gandhi had slightly divergent views while analyst former India keeper Deep Dasgupta had a completely different take.
“These three are indispensable if fit. There is no way that you can leave anyone of them for the World T20. But yes, if I look at numbers, I might just try someone like Shikhar Dhawan at the opening slot and check Rahul out at No.4. He has a T20 hundred in Manchester some years back in middle-order, so why not,” MSK Prasad told PTI.
“But yes, I want Virat to take a significant break and before the Asia Cup, he should be fresh, up and running,” Prasad said.
T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli form BIG CONCERN for coach Rahul Dravid ahead of T20 WC, experts advice change in position
For Gandhi, in a big tournament like the T20 World Cup, he isn’t too keen on experimentation and doesn’t want to rock the boat.
“These are your proven performers and when they play for India, it is completely different from the roles they have for their franchises. Also when we talk about changes, we should know who are the replacements? Are they good enough and better than those three in pressure scenario during a Pakistan game? You need to factor in,” Gandhi said.
For Dasgupta, T20 by nature is a game that warrants a different philosophy and guiding principles.
“In Tests or ODIs, we normally find players, check them out and accordingly assign roles to them. In T20, you need to do the reverse. You first decide roles and then fit in players. They can still play the trio as number 1, 2 and 3 but there has to be a specific role which they should be told long before the tournament,” Dasgupta said.
Asked in case a change is required, Dasgupta feels that Dhawan or Prithvi Shaw should be kept in the set-up and may be tried out if necessary.
T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli form BIG CONCERN for coach Rahul Dravid ahead of T20 WC, experts advice change in position
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