Harbhajan Singh is clear in his belief that Virat Kohli the seasoned batsman should lead alongside captain Rohit Sharma in Indias 2024 T20 World Cup curtainraiser against Ireland in New York on Wednesday June 5. His personal take is that Yashasvi Jaiswal a rising star may face challenges on the demanding pitch.
The cricketer-turned-commentator claimed that the greatest bet for Men in Blue would be Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the helm, as the two seasoned campaigners can provide a solid foundation for the rest of the batsmen.
Harbhajan spoke on his YouTube channel:
“Batting is going to be difficult on this pitch. You need your big players in such situations and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should open. The platform that they can set, I feel it would be tough for Yashasvi Jaiswal to do the same in these conditions.”
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh also revealed his favorite India playing XI for the team’s debut ICC match. He left out Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm spinner, and instead chose three frontline seamers.
“Even an ordinary bowler has looked threatening here” – Harbhajan Singh expects fast bowlers to dominate on New York pitch
Harbhajan Singh added that quick bowlers may be India’s trump card in New York. He highlighted South African bowler Anrich Nortje’s remarkable four-wicket haul in the team’s match against Sri Lanka.
The 43-year-old commented:
“When I was in India, I said that spinners would play a big role in this T20 World Cup. However, after arriving here, I feel that while spinners will be useful, the fast bowlers will be in the game every single ball on this pitch. We saw what Anrich Nortje did in that spell. Even an ordinary bowler has looked threatening here.”
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh also mentioned how players will need to be cautious when playing in New York since there is a risk of getting hurt owing to the extra sand. He predicted that the cricketers’ calves would be sore after a few games at the location.
“From what I have seen in India’s warm-up match and the game between Sri Lanka and South Africa, there is a variable bounce on the pitch, making it difficult for batters to get set. Also, it is a sandy ground, which is why I feel a lot of players could feel some pain in their calves after one or two matches. The players will have to be very cautious while playing here.”
Harbhajan Singh
India and Ireland are all set to go headtohead at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York for an electrifying showdown. Brace yourself as the muchawaited match gets underway at 8:00 PM (IST).