India concluded its group stage campaign of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Saturday with a washout against Canada in Florida. Despite the no-result, India, led by Rohit Sharma, finished atop Group A with seven points from four games. They now advance to the Super 8 stage, where they are set to face Afghanistan, Australia and either Bangladesh or the Netherlands. The Super 8 matches will begin on June 19, with India’s first game scheduled for June 20 against Afghanistan.
India’s combination for the T20 World Cup 2024
Meanwhile, India’s decision to open with their most senior batters, captain Rohit and Virat Kohli, has been a talking point since the start of the tournament. While Rohit’s role as an opener was expected, Kohli’s promotion to the opening slot, combined with Rishabh Pant moving to No. 3, led to the exclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had been India’s preferred T20 opener for much of the previous year. This strategy has yet to pay off, as Kohli has struggled with scores of 1, 4, and 0 in the group-stage matches. These games were held in New York under challenging batting conditions.
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Michael Vaughan’s critique and suggestions
Speaking on Cricbuzz, former England captain Michael Vaughan has weighed in on India’s strategy, suggesting that Jaiswal should be opening for India in the Super 8. Vaughan believed that it is less critical who among Kohli or Rohit bats at No. 3, while also advocating for the exclusion of Shivam Dube from the lineup. The 49-year-old also supported India’s approach of including enough left-handers in their batting order, a strategy aimed at maintaining balance and versatility.
“I love Yashasvi Jaiswal, I’d want him to be opening the batting. Virat or Rohit at No.3, I’m not too bothered by which right-hander goes to No.3. Shivam Dube is at No.5 but in the Caribbean I’d have Rishabh Pant in there,” Vaughan said.
“I like the fact that they have gone with left-handers. I thought not having enough left-handers was a mistake from India in the past so I can kind of understand that but I would want Jaiswal in my team,” Vaughan concluded.
