Rohit Sharma and K.L. Rahul will open India's innings in the first T20 International against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Friday with Shikhar Dhawan starting on the bench as a reserve opener, confirmed India skipper Virat Kohli.
Ever since the return of Rohit, who missed the T20 International series in Australia, there has been speculation over who will open the innings with him from out of Rahul and Dhawan. Rohit was out injured, nursing his hamstring injury post the IPL late last year.
"I don't think so (that both Dhawan and Rahul can be fitted in the playing XI). If Rohit plays it is quite simple. KL and Rohit have been consistently performing for us at the top and those two will start for us. In case of a situation where either Rohit takes a rest or KL has a niggle, (then) Shikhi comes back as the third opener. Rahul and Rohit will start," said Kohli while speaking to the media on Thursday, on the eve of the first T20 International.
Rohit had scored 65 and 60 not out in the last two T20 Internationals he played back in January-February 2020.
Out of the last five T20I knocks he has played, Rohit has scored half-centuries in three innings.
Rahul, on the other hand, has just one half-century in the last five T20I innings but he has managed pretty good starts. He has scored 39, 45, 51, 30, and 0 (in the last T20I vs Australia).
Dhawan too has managed good starts - two half-centuries, a 32, and a 28 besides 1 in the last five T20Is.