Exclusive: India will need Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in T20 World Cup; Suryakumar Yadav is the most dangerous in the squad, says Ravi Bopara
The next ICC T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held from June 4 to 30 next year, and will be jointly hosted by the West Indies and the United States. India claimed their inaugural T20 World Cup title in 2007, captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, marking their only title win in the showpiece tournament since its inception.
former England Cricketer Ravi Boparawho currently plays in the MLB in the United States, feels India will need their two big players – Virat and Rohit – in their T20 World Cup campaign.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images)
TimesofIndia.com caught up with Bopara, who played 13 Tests, 120 ODIs and 38 T20Is for England between 2007 and 2015, in an exclusive interview and he spoke about England’s disappointing ODI World Cup campaign and aim to defend their T20 World Cup title, India T20. World Cup hopes of Virat, Rohit and much more.
Things did not go according to England’s plans in the ODI World Cup. Can they defend their T20 World Cup title next year?
England are a very strong T20 team. They are much stronger in T20Is of 50 overs. I am confident that England will continue to defend their T20 World Cup title. There are a lot of players in the England T20 team who can turn the game on its head. Jos Buttler is there. Will Jacks is there. Adel Rashid is there. They are class actors and have performed well for many years. Every T20 player is a match-winner for England and can turn the match around at any time.
Ben Stokes did not have a good ODI World Cup. How much do England need him in the T20 World Cup?
very much. England will need Ben in the T20 World Cup. He’s the match winner. He can come and play in any position and any situation can relieve pressure on the team. He is excellent in both departments – bat and bowl. It is important that he plays for England so that he can be the sixth bowling option for the team. His presence will also ensure that England have a large and strong batting line-up.
How many Virat and Rohit will India need in the T20 World Cup?
a lot. India will need their presence in the important tournament. They should be there and in good condition. India wants them to score big runs. They score big runs and then others who play cameos can work well for India. I’ve got Skye (Suryakumar Yadav) there. He will be the most dangerous player in the Indian squad. It is very important that these three shoot.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images)
How difficult will it be for Hardik Pandya to replace Rohit in the Mumbai Indians side, who has five IPL titles to his name?
Rohit Sharma has made the MI side. This is the hero side. Now, Hardik will lead this champion team. They have star players and game changers. Hardik will work with the best players. Apart from captaining the team, it will be important for Hardik to bat and bowl well. I hope he has a good tournament with bat and ball and helps MI succeed and win the tournament. I wish him all the best.
What was your favorite moment against India?
My favorite moment against India was seeing Sachin Tendulkar walk out to bat for the first time. He was my childhood hero, so seeing him come out and bat and play against him was probably my favorite moment. From the Indian Premier League, my favorite moment was when I played my first season in South Africa (in 2009) and scored 80 runs to win the match against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) at Kingsmead, Durban. I was chosen as ‘Man of the Match’.
I played for Sunrisers Hyderabad as well. Pat Cummins was recently bought by SRH for Rs 20.50 crore. Should the 2023 World Cup-winning captain be given SRH captaincy duties for next season?
maybe. He is Australia’s captain, and what’s more is that he led Australia to the World Cup title recently. I’m sure SRH will stick with Cummins to lead the team. However, for me, it is better to stick with the local captain because he understands the team and his team very well. But with Cummins coming off the back of leading Australia to a World Cup win, he is also a good option.
Suryakumar Yadav. (Reuters photos)
You currently play in the MLS. What is your experience so far?
I enjoy it. It’s an exciting league, a new league. You can’t compare this to other leagues at the moment. It is much smaller than other tournaments. But a lot of cricketers are here. I hope to win as many matches as possible for my team.
