Former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh believes Yashasvi Jaiswal should partner with skipper Rohit Sharma as the opening pair for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. He also advocates for Rishabh Pant as the preferred wicketkeeper to add left-handed variety to the batting lineup.
Virat Kohli has been in exceptional form as an opener for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2024, leading the charts with 708 runs from 14 matches. Despite this, Yuvraj prefers the combination of left-handed Jaiswal with right-handed Rohit at the top, followed by Kohli at number three. Jaiswal, playing for Rajasthan Royals, has amassed 348 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 152. Including a century and a fifty in IPL 2024.
“I think Rohit and Jaiswal should definitely open,” said Yuvraj, a key player in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup victory. “Virat has been batting at number three (in T20 internationals) and that’s his position. You get Surya at four and then you have a couple of big options. I’d like to see a couple of left-hand, right-hand combinations because it is harder to bowl at two combinations all the time.”
Yuvraj, known for his powerful left-handed batting, would choose Pant over Sanju Samson as the wicketkeeper. Despite both players’ impressive IPL performances. Samson has had his best IPL season with 504 runs at a strike rate of 156.32. While Pant has made strong comeback after a near-fatal car accident, scoring 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40.
“I’d probably go for Rishabh,” Yuvraj said, now an ambassador for the June 1-29 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States. “Obviously Sanju is also in great form, but Rishabh is a left-hander, and I believe that Rishabh has massive potential to win games for India, which he has done in the past.”
Yuvraj also supported India vice-captain Hardik Pandya, who had a subdued IPL season with 216 runs in 14 matches. He emphasized the importance of Pandya’s contributions to the Indian team beyond just IPL performance.
“Well, the good thing is that the selection has been made. Selectors consider how players have performed in international cricket and then look at IPL form. Just not the IPL form,” he noted. “Because if you look at the IPL form, Hardik’s not done well. Looking at his background for India, what he’s done for India, it is important that he’s in the squad. I think his bowling and fitness are going to be important. And I think he might do something really special in this World Cup.”
Additionally, Yuvraj highlighted the potential of CSK all-rounder Shivam Dube. Who scored 396 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 162.29, as a key middle-order batter for India.
“I just felt the kind of form he’s in, it was important for him to be in the squad. I really think he can make a huge difference in the middle order or the lower middle order. So it’s good to see him in the Indian T20 squad.”
India will begin their Group A campaign against Ireland on June 9 in New York, followed by a clash with arch-rivals Pakistan four days later.
