T20 WC 2024: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should open, says Sanjay Manjrekar; Hardik Pandya wins praise

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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the team is making former Indian cricketer and renowned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar unhappy. He said he would have picked a much younger Indian squad.Manjrekar says India now has no other choice but to pair Rohit Sharma with Virat Kohli for the opening slot.

Kohli and Rohit did not feature in much of India's T20 assignments in 2023, but they returned as selectors showed faith in the seasoned campaigners.ALSO READ: T20 World Cup 2024: Top 10 squads, India vs Pakistan match details and more"Ideally, I would not have gone that way; I would have stuck with a slightly more younger kind of, core set of players, but the selectors have committed themselves to the icons, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli," PTI quoted Manjrekar as saying on Star Sports’ Press Room World Cup edition on Friday."Now that they are in the squad, it's impossible to have Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 because then you don't get the full rally of Virat.

Rohit Sharma has to open, so now, India, in a way, have forced themselves to have only one kind of combination — two right-handers," he said.According to him, Yashasvi Jaiswal would find a place in the Indian XI."Unfortunately, Jaiswal will have to sit out. I would have gone completely with a new lot (and) then he would have had a lot more flair, and it would be something different," he said."(But) India have trusted the seniors, a move that hasn't worked over the years.