Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel feels the changes in the batting order by Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid are happening to accommodate Virat Kohli in the playing XI.
With Virat rested for the matches in West Indies and Zimbabwe, the Indian management stunned everyone by sending Suryakumar Yadav to open the innings with captain Rohit in the opening game of the T20I series.
SKY was dismissed after scoring 24 runs off 16 balls. Rishabh Pant had opened in T20Is against England.
“All these changes we are seeing in the opening order are because of Virat Kohli. Dravid and Rohit want to accomodate him in the Playing XI. That’s the reason behind Pant and Surya playing in the opening slot,” said Parthiv Patel.
Virat scored only 31 runs in two innings of the Birmingham Test. He then scored 1 and 11 in the second and third T20I and, 16 and 17 in the second and third ODI against the Jos Buttler-led team.