Rohit, Virat should attack bowlers from start of their innings in T20 World Cup: Sourav Ganguly
Apr 22, 2024
New Delhi [India], April 22 : Sourav Ganguly, Delhi Capitals (DC) Director of Cricket and former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, has said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should attack bowlers from the start of their innings during T20 World Cup 2024 in West Indies and USA, which starts in June.
Several young players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) have a very good strike rate with teams making record totals.
"We saw how Rohit batted at the 50-overs World Cup," Ganguly said during an event in Delhi.
"He just came and hit from ball one and we were able to put so much pressure on the opposition in the first seven overs. It gave breathing space for the lower order," he added.
"I think Virat and Rohit should do the same. They are great players. For India, the most important thing in T20 cricket and I said this to Rahul [Dravid] in Australia [after the previous T20 World Cup] also. 'Just play without fear.' You can always control the innings if you lose wickets, but just go and hit," he noted.
Rohit and Virat had a memorable Cricket World Cup last year in India. Virat scored 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of 95.62, with three centuries and six fifties, while Rohit made 597 runs in 11 matches at an average of 54.27 at a strike rate of over 125, with a century and three fifties.
Their last T20I outing for India was against Afghanistan in January during a three-match series. While Rohit scored a quickfire 121* after two ducks, Virat scored a quickfire 29* in 16 balls and a duck. These matches came more than a year after they were a part of a 10-wicket loss to England in the T20 WC 2022 semifinals held in Australia.
The two players are well during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). In eight matches, Virat has made 379 runs at an average of 63.16 and a strike rate of 150.39, with a century and two fifties. He is the top run-scorer in the IPL 2024 so far.
Rohit has scored 303 runs in eight matches at an average of 43.28 and strike rate of 162.90, with a century. He is the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament so far.
