Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 21 (ANI): India skipper Virat Kohli on Saturday said that he will like to open the innings with Rohit Sharma in the future as well.
Indian bowlers restricted England to 188/8 in their allotted 20 overs to register a 36-run win in the fifth T20I here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.
In the series-decider clash, Kohli and Rohit opened the innings for the side and added a 94-run solid stand for the opening wicket. Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 80 runs off 52 balls studded with two sixes and seven fours. On the other hand, Rohit smashed 64 off 34 balls decorated with five sixes and four fours.
With this win in the final T20I, India won the five-match series 3-2. Skipper Virat Kohli and boys displayed a clinical performance in the series decider and England had no answers to what was thrown at them by the hosts.
At one stage, England was on-course for registering a win as Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan put on 130 runs for the second wicket, but as soon as the duo lost their wickets, the visitors lost their way and ended up losing the match.
“I am going to open in the IPL as well. Have batted in different positions in the past. But I feel we have a solid middle-order now. Will definitely like to partner Rohit at the top. Other guys feel a lot more confident when one of us is still in and is set. Augurs well for the team. Also how Shreyas batted in the last game and the responsibility he showed in the first game. Ishan was brilliant,” Kohli told the host broadcaster Star Sports at the post-match presentation.
Earlier, skipper Kohli’s decision to promote himself as an opener worked wonders in the fifth and final T20I against England as India posted a total of 224/2. Apart from Kohli and Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav played a knock of 32 as the hosts posted a mammoth total on the board.
However, the telling blow, in the end, came from Hardik Pandya as the swashbuckling all-rounder played an innings of 39 runs off just 17 balls. (ANI)