New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has underlined the importance of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of India’s first ODI against Afghanistan, saying the experienced duo will be central to the team’s chances in the upcoming ODI World Cup in South Africa.

Pathan praised Rohit’s ability to counter fast bowling in challenging overseas conditions and described Virat as the ideal batter to anchor India’s innings from the No.3 position.

“Rohit Sharma’s biggest strength is his ability to handle short-pitched bowling. He has exceptional timing and gets into position early. In South Africa, where bowlers get both swing and extra bounce, Rohit is the ideal batter to punish anything short,” Pathan told Jio Hotstar

The former left-arm pacer also highlighted Kohli’s unmatched consistency in the 50-over format and his ability to guide the innings under pressure.

“Coming to Virat Kohli, he brings immense experience to the middle order. In ODIs, no one does it better than him. Batting at number three, his records speak for themselves. If India lose an early wicket, he is the man to rebuild the innings,” he said.

“He loves batting long, and when it comes to chasing, he is the best in the world. India will need both these qualities of Rohit and Virat if they are to win the World Cup in South Africa,” he added.

Pathan also weighed in on India’s wicketkeeping options, backing KL Rahul as the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs.

“KL Rahul is India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs. He has done well at numbers five and six. He is versatile,” Pathan said.

He added that Ishan Kishan’s inclusion as a backup wicketkeeper was a sensible move due to his ability to bat higher up the order and handle pace effectively.

“As a backup, the selectors have brought in Ishan Kishan. Ishan can bat higher up the order and plays the short ball well square of the wicket. That is a smart selection.”

Pathan further stated that Sanju Samson remains a strong contender for opportunities in the middle order

“The third in line should be Sanju Samson. Whenever he has got a chance, he has delivered. We saw that in the T20 World Cup. Sanju now plays with maturity and handles pressure well. He can be tried at number five,” He said.

Meanwhile, India will shift their focus from Tests to ODIs as they start a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at HPCA in Dharamshala on Saturday.

–IANS

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