Indian skipper Rohit Sharma will be seen playing T20Is for the first time after T20 World Cup 2022 and meanwhile, Virat Kohli will also return to the T20I format from 2nd match of this series where reports were suggesting that he may start to play as an opener in T20Is alongside hitman.

Here, in this article, we will have a look at who has been the best opening pair for India in T20Is during recent times and how Kohli has performed as the opener in the last few games and more.

Most opening partnership runs for India in T20Is after March 2020:

  • Rohit Sharma-KL Rahul: 854 runs (23 inns)
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad-Yashasvi Jaiswal: 363 runs (9 inns)
  • Ishan Kishan-Rohit Sharma: 292 runs (6 inns)
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal-Shubman Gill: 206 runs (5 inns)
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad-Ishan Kishan: 200 runs (6 inns)

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have been regular opening partners for team India in T20Is post the COVID-19 period till the 2022 T20 World Cup except few matches. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma pair, despite recording so many partnerships, have been criticized for their slow batting technique in the powerplay overs. However, Rohit Sharma's approach with the bat in the 2023 World Cup was praised by cricket fans and audiences around the world.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been part of many T20I games in 2023 as senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul completely skipped this format to concentrate on playing the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's quick-fire starts in the powerplay overs and Gaikwad's ability to score big runs would make the management consider these two players in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup event.

Ishan Kishan recorded two consecutive fifty-plus scores in the recently concluded T20I series against Australia but he hasn't been impressive with the bat as an opener in T20Is due to his poor strike rotation.

Shubman Gill hasn't cracked the T20I format so far despite achieving so many ODI milestones in 2023. Gill's inconsistent run with the bat in T20Is has stagnated his place to be the first-choice opener in the team.

Now, there have been reports that Virat Kohli might open the innings in the upcoming T20I matches. Virat Kohli has opened the batting only twice in T20Is since 2021. 

He scored 80* vs England at Ahmedabad in 2021 (stitched 94-run partnership with Rohit Sharma) and 122* vs Afghanistan at Dubai in the 2022 Asia Cup (stitched 119-run partnership with KL Rahul) in those two innings as an opener.

Virat Kohli has been pretty impressive as an opener for RCB in the recently concluded IPL 2023 edition.