'It is a definite option for us': Rohit Sharma on prospect of Virat Kohli opening in T20 World Cup

India skipper Rohit Sharma has hinted that India's batting maestro Virat Kohli might be seen opening the batting for the team in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

As a part of their preparations leading into the global event, the Indian team will take field against Australia in Mohali on Tuesday, September 20 in the first T20I of the three-match series. The Men in Blue will hope to put the recent Asia Cup failure behind them which saw the defending champions getting knocked out of the Super 4 stage of the competition.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has revealed that they are keeping all their options open ahead of the T20 World Cup and can go with Virat Kohli as a potential opener in the tournament.

Virat Kohli registered a sparkling ton against Afghanistan in India's last fixture in the continental tournament while opening the batting in Rohit Sharma's absence. Virat's innings had made several experts ponder the promotion of the Indian star at the top of the order as an opener in the shortest format of the game.

Rohit Sharma, in his address to the media ahead of the series opener against Australia, added more to the talks by revealing that the team management are looking at Virat as a potential opener in T20Is. 

"It is always nice to have options available for you. It is important going into a World Cup that you have flexibility. You want the players to be in best shape batting at any position. When we try and do something new, that does not mean that's a problem. But yeah, it is an option (Virat Kohli opening) for us, we will always keep that in mind. Since we have not taken a third opener, he opens for his franchise and he has done really well, so it is a definite option for us," said Rohit.

Notably, Rohit's designated opening partner in T20Is, KL Rahul, was irked about a similar question post Kohli's belligerence against Afghanistan. A visibly irritated KL Rahul had snapped at a journalist on the same question and asked if he should sit out. Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has also dismissed the idea of Kohli opening the batting for the Indian team in T20Is.