Kamal Ghorui
For a very long time, scoring 50 runs in the Powerplay — the first six overs — used to be the perfect platform for a big score in T20Is. Even in the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli combo was looking at something in that range.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In the current cycle, however, things seem to have changed drastically. With teams aiming at a total of 225 or above to feel secure on the smaller grounds in India, scoring at least 75 runs in that period has become the new normal. With both Rohit and Virat retiring from T20Is and the likes of Abhishek Sharma taking over, India have made that target look easy in recent times. The Punjab southpaw has had different partners — notably Sanju Samson and Shubman Gill — and now it seems like India may go in with Ishan Kishan for the World Cup.
Abhishek has absolutely flourished, batting at a ridiculous strike rate of 194.97. While Abhishek’s fearless bat swing and ability to clear the fence with ease has the cricket world in awe, India seem to have stumbled upon Kishan late by a trial and error process. Even in the last T20I that he played, the Jharkhand cricketer was batting at No. 3 in the injured Tilak Varma’s place. The maiden T20I century against New Zealand, however, has now made him virtually undroppable. With Sanju Samson out of form and Tilak likely to come back at No. 3, the only slot available is at the top.
Though India will have a top three comprising all left-handers, their explosive ability can make the think-tank stick with the combination. With a batting lineup running down to No. 8, Abhishek and Kishan will get the license to play high-risk cricket and go for the big shots. In 2025, largely due to Abhishek’s heroics, India had the best Powerplay run-rate of 10.86 followed by England at 10.52, while the third spot was shared by New Zealand and Australia (10.16).Now let’s look at the opening combos of these three teams. England’s opening duo of Phil Salt and Jos Buttler has immense experience of Indian conditions. Both Buttler and Salt have been big successes in the IPL. The only chink is Salt’s technique against spin, which can sometimes become a factor in India.
New Zealand, who lost a series 1-4 to India recently, want opposition teams to play the guessing game about their opening duo. Though Devon Conway was opening in the series against India, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen are the two players who are tipped to start the proceedings in the World Cup. Seifert has a strike-rate of 143.49, Allen 165.45.The big question is around their experience in Indian conditions, and that’s why the New Zealand management wanted Conway to fit into that role. But the senior left-hander hasn’t exactly set the stage on fire.
That brings us to the opening combination that is bound to leave India a little worried. Australia’s Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh only opened together once in the T20 series against Pakistan that they lost 0-3 recently. Both looked out of sorts but the Aussies have the ability to flick a switch when it comes to World Cups. Head has been a consistent headache for India across formats and the fact that he is a regular in IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad gives him all the experience that he needs on Indian pitches.Marsh, too, is a fierce hitter and he also opens regularly in the IPL for Lucknow Supergiants.
