T20 World Cup 2021: "It was flawed" - Aakash Chopra on Team India continuing with the same batting order if they had done well against NZ

Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Team India committed a mistake by opening with Ishan Kishan instead of Rohit Sharma. He wants the latter to open with KL Rahul in India's remaining matches of the T20 World Cup 2021.

Rohit and Rahul were Team India's openers in their first match against Pakistan. However, with Suryakumar Yadav being indisposed, the Virat Kohli-led side had to bring in Kishan and they made him bat at the top of the order at the expense of the Indian vice-captain.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra replied in the negative when asked if Team India would have persisted with the same batting order if they had done well against New Zealand. He reasoned:

"Not according to me and it shouldn't have been as well. According to me, it was flawed if you are not making Rahul and Rohit open and you change everything after one match. It does not work, your top order is your core, where will you go if you shake your core?"

The former India cricketer added that Rohit and Rahul need to open irrespective of the result of the last match. Aakash Chopra explained:

"That is your best opening combination. You played Ishan Kishan, you made him open because of the left-right combination or because of Trent Boult, I don't have an answer for that but India continuing with that - No, whether you had won or lost or however many runs you might have scored."

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have enjoyed decent success as India's opening pair in T20I cricket. Although they failed to deliver in the clash against Pakistan, they stitched together an excellent opening partnership in the warm-up match against Australia.

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Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli himself vouching for Rohit and Rahul as his openers

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Virat Kohli had cast his vote for Rohit and Rahul as Team India's openers

Aakash Chopra recalled that Virat Kohli himself expressed a desire to open alongside Rohit Sharma. He observed:

"Captain Kohli and Rohit had opened against England, I am not talking about here but before the IPL in March. Kohli had then said that when Rohit-Kohli do well as openers, it gives confidence and the rest of the team also plays well."

The reputed commentator pointed out that the Indian skipper opted to bat down the order only because of Rahul's excellent recent form, with Rohit Sharma being an automatic choice. Aakash Chopra said:

"After that, Rahul had a fantastic IPL season, first and second half. Then when he was asked, he said there is no question and Rahul has to be my opener. And Rohit Sharma is the default choice as an opener. He [Virat] even scolded someone in the press conference."

It will be interesting to see if Team India move Ishan Kishan down the order if Suryakumar Yadav is still not available for the Afghanistan clash. The diminutive southpaw struggled in the middle order in IPL 2021 and roared back to form only when he was given a chance to open the batting for the Mumbai Indians.