India vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2024: Should Virat Kohli Open The Innings? Here's What R Ashwin Thinks

T20 World Cup 2024: Team India will take on Afghanistan tonight at the Kensington Oval in Barbados in their T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8's first match. Rohit Sharma and company have been dominating in the tournament so far as they won all 3-matches played in the league stage against Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA. The game against Canada was abandoned due to heavy rain. Despite everything falling in place till now, ace batter Virat Kohli's form has been under the scanner and a big cause of worry as the latter failed to impress with the bat.

Virat Kohli, who opened the innings for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) and notched the highest number of runs, even failed to score in double digits.

Reviewing Virat Kohli's performance in the last three matches (1, 0, 4), many cricket critics suggested that he should not open the innings and bat at his actual number 3 position. However, many still believe that giving a chance to face the maximum number of balls to your best batsman is a right call.

A few people said that giving a demotion to your best batter (making him bat at number 3 again) might affect his confidence.

Sharing his views on the same topic, spin-bowling sensation Ravichandran Ashwin said Virat Kohli is a champion and any decision can not affect Kohli's confidence. Instead, if any such call would be made, it would be like challenging him and the world knows how Kohli hits back.

If the team management and skipper ever decide to move Kohli down to the No. 3 position, he might get pumped up and prove his doubters wrong.

"There is no chance for a player like Virat Kohli to damage his confidence. He will say, 'you brought me down to number 3, I will show you who I am.'. That's how he will bat, first of all. I am saying this because I know him," R Ashwin said in a video.