“I would like to see two left handers”, Ravi Shastri wants change in the opening pair for world cup 2023.

Former head coach and Indian cricket veteran Ravi Shastri recommends a change in the opening pair of the Indian cricket team, as he wants to see left-handers in the top order. India’s opening pair is dominated by right-handers; as of now, captain Rohit Sharma and youngster Shubman Gill are opening the innings for India, but according to Ravi Shastri, a left-hand-right-hand combination in the opening pair could be more effective for the ICC World Cup 2023. According to the former head coach, whenever India did well, especially in the ICC World Cup 2011, they had three left-handers in the team: Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, and Yuvraj Singh. They all played really well and had a significant role in the team’s victory in 2011.

Speaking to “The Week”, he said that it is not necessary that you open with a left-handed batsman, but in the top 3 or 4, definitely, as it kind of balances the team. He wants to have this change done as soon as possible because the World Cup is around the corner and the team needs to be prepared for the challenges ahead. Ravi Shastri, emphasizing why the Rohit-Gill opening pair won’t work, said that:

No, that is going to be a challenge. You will have to see closer to the event. Form again becomes important. You need to strike the right balance. Do you think a left-hander will make a difference at the top? It does not have to be opening, but in the top three or four. You have to weigh all those options. Ideally, in the top six, I would like to see two left-handers,” 

Ravi Shastri told The Week

“Whenever you have done well [left-handers contributed]. In 2011, you had [Gautam] Gambhir, Yuvraj [Singh], and [Suresh] Raina. Go back to 1974… [Alvin] Kallicharran, [Roy] Fredericks, [Clive] Lloyd… The same in 1979. The 1983 team was the only one that did not have a left-hander, but that whole tournament was against all odds. In 1987, Australia had enough… they had [Allan] Border at the top, they had another two or three, down the order. In 1996 Sri Lanka proved it again, with [Sanath] Jayasuriya, [Arjuna] Ranatunga, [Asanka] Gurusinha. And then Australia, with the Gilchrists and the Haydens. England have it now. That mix and balance has to be created,” 

He added

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