New Delhi [India], June 1 (): Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has chosen batting maestro Virat Kohli to open alongside India captain Rohit Sharma in the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled in the USA and West Indies from June 1 to 29.
Ganguly’s Recommendations for India’s Opening Pair
Kohli enters the T20 WC arena following a stellar performance in the 2024 IPL season, where he showcased his batting prowess while opening for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Emerging as the highest run-scorer in the tournament, the 35-year-old earned the coveted Orange Cap.
Confidence in Rishabh Pant’s Versatility
Ganguly also commended the wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for his ability to strike the ball all around the ground. Expressing faith in the 26-year-old’s capabilities, Ganguly emphasized Pant’s knack for finding scoring opportunities with his unique batting style.
“He is a very special talent. His keeping is good, but his batting is really special. He is capable of picking some great angles on the ground, and that’s his USP. Not every player will be able to do that, you see. And that’s what makes Pant very important for India. He has worked very, very hard to make this comeback and is hungry to do well. I am confident he will make a telling difference,” he added.
India’s Pursuit of T20 World Cup Glory
India’s campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup is fueled by the ambition to break their ICC trophy drought. Since their ICC Champions Trophy victory in 2013, India has come close to claiming titles but fell short in crucial stages of major tournaments.
The team aims to reclaim T20 World Cup glory, aiming to replicate their success from the inaugural edition in 2007.
India T20 World Cup Squad:
- Captain: Rohit Sharma
- Players: Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
