Ahead of the five-match T20I series between India and England, former cricketer VVS Laxman has identified who will partner Rohit Sharma to open the innings for the hosts. The first match of the series is on March 12 (Friday0 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Incidentally, this series will officially mark the beginning of India’s preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 scheduled to take place later this year.
As the management look to fix their squad for the marquee event, Ravi Shastri & Co will be sweating over Rohit Sharma’s opening partner. With Rishabh Pant back to superlative form, it will be a fight between KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan to partner India’s vice-captain. In the last series against Australia, Dhawan opened with Rohit while Rahul batted in the middle-order ahead of Pant, who was struggling with his form with the bat.
KL Rahul should open with Rohit Sharma – VVS Laxman
While the cricketing fraternity continues to dwell over the selections, VVS Laxman has voted for the stylish opener from Karnataka KL Rahul to be Rohit Sharma’s partner in the five-match T20I series. In one of the recent episodes of Star Sports show Cricket Connected, Laxman was quizzed about Dhawan’s return to the Indian side after an impressive show in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
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“It is going to be a tough question as far as the selection of the second opener is concerned, there is no doubt about that because Rohit Sharma is an automatic choice in white-ball cricket,” Laxman said. “But I will still go with KL Rahul because over the last few months and years, I think the Indian team management went with KL Rahul as an opening batsman and he has done really well in that position,” Laxman added.
Adding further, VVS Laxman opined that although it is difficult to overlook Shikhar Dhawan’s form but he will still look to continue with versatile opener KL Rahul. The batsman from Karnataka had also opened the Indian innings with Dhawan in the absence of vice-captain Rohit and has been in decent touch with the bat.
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“Yeah, Shikhar Dhawan had a fantastic IPL and the way he batted at the top of the order, scoring centuries for the Delhi Capitals and then he is in tremendous form for Delhi, scored a big hundred in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. But I still will repose faith in KL Rahul because as an opening combination you want someone who is settled,” VVS Laxman added.