|| India Correspondent ||
Team India used as many as five changes in the recently-concluded five-match T20I series. While in the first four games they didn't get the desired result, the fifth and final one went their way as the captain Virat Kohli opened alongside Rohit Sharma and the duo laid the winning foundation for the team.
The duo added 94 from 8.5 overs before Rohit fell to Ben Stokes in the 9th over after already smashing 64 of 34 balls. Later, Suryakumar Yadav continued the hitting with Kohli anchoring the innings from the other end as well. After Yadav's dismissal for 32 (17 balls), India pushed Hardik Pandya up the order and he smashed 39 off 17 balls as India posted 224/2 from their allotted 20 overs with Kohli remaining not out on 80 as well.
And former India pace bowler Zaheer Khan feels that it is the inclusion of Surya that allowed Kohli and Rohit to open the innings and played freely.
"The question one should ask is how it became possible that Virat Kohli could come and open the innings? It became possible because India got a batsman like Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar went there and showed what he can do at no. 3 position," Zaheer said in an interview on Cricbuzz.
However, India won the game by 36 runs and clinch the series 3-2 as well. Meanwhile, India's new approach to the shortest format of the game finally helped them and it would give them immense satisfaction ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year in India.
Both India and England will next take on each other in a three-match ODI series starting Tuesday, March 23 in Pune behind close doors as well.