Suresh Raina is adamantly against Virat Kohli starting in Twenty20 Internationals.

Cricket fans are engaged in an intense discussion for the ninth time about whether Virat Kohli should start as India’s opening batsman in Twenty20 internationals, particularly with the T20 World Cup approaching.

When Virat Kohli made the bold decision to start with Rohit Sharma against England in 2021, the story began. In the end, Kohli scored 80 runs off 52 balls without losing. Since he was now starting for his IPL team, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, this encouraged Kohli to investigate the concept further.

Talks were put on hold in 2022 until Kohli’s incredible 122 against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup ended his century-long drought. During the current T20I series against Afghanistan or the impending ICC tournament in June, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid made references to the experiment, even though it was never implemented in a T20 World Cup match. But two-time World Cup victor Suresh Raina rejected the idea.

While initially confirming Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rohit’s opening partner, Dravid did not completely rule out the idea of Kohli opening during the T20I series against Afghanistan when he spoke to the media prior to the match. Dravid emphasized that rather than sticking to left-right combinations, a player’s skill against the bowling attack and the current conditions will determine the batting order.

“(Kohli opening with Rohit) Nothing is closed. We do not doubt that with the kind of ability and skill sets players like Rohit and Kohli possess, they will be able to find answers against all kinds of bowling,” remarked Dravid, as quoted by the Hindustan Times. Instead of concentrating only on left-right combinations, he emphasized the significance of players’ skills against different bowling attacks.

Kohli’s lackluster middle-overs performance, especially against spinners, is one factor in favor of his possible move up to the top of the order. From 2020 onwards, IPL statistics show that during the middle phase, a boundary occurs every 10.6 deliveries, or a little less than 7 runs per over. When playing against spinners, these figures even worsen, with a scoring rate of 6.3 and a boundary every 14.7 deliveries.

If Yasasvi plays, he would open with Rohit Sharma; hence, I think Virat Kohli should bat at number three. Suresh Raina

With these figures in hand, Raina—now a cricket expert—firmly disagreed with the notion of Kohli opening T20Is. Citing instances such as Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag in the 2010s and Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar in the 2000s, he underlined the historical success of left-right opening combinations.

Since Yashasvi Jaiswal will open alongside Rohit if he plays, I think it is better for Kohli to bat at No. 3 due to the left-right combination. Raina told Hindustan Times, “We have seen instances in the past when Gambhir and Sehwag used to play, or when Sachin and Dada (Sourav Ganguly) used to play.

“And it’s not simply that they complement each other; they are both aggressive batters. India’s lineup appears more reliable, with Kohli at number three. He keeps the scoreboard running by running in between the wickets. For me, he would be best at number three. Yashasvi Jaiswal, however, can bat at No. 3 if the management believes he should bat first. But because he is young and exhibits that intent, I think Yashasvi Jaiswal should open so India can get off to a strong start,” Raina continued.

Raina believed that the experience of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma would be vital for India’s chances in the forthcoming T20 World Cup; therefore, he backed their return for the T20I series, despite the continuing dispute.

Two experienced players who have participated in the majority of India’s Twenty20 international matches is a great start. And judging from their recent performance, particularly in the ODI World Cup, it’s amazing. In addition, the fields where the T20 World Cup will be held have quite uneven pitches. They want players with experience. While Kohli is close to reaching the 12,000 run mark in T20 cricket, Rohit is a seasoned leader who adds a lot of skill to the team. Thus, their presence on the team enhances its strength and experience. “India has a chance to win the T20 World Cup with Rohit and Kohli back,” Raina said.